Hamas militant group, carried out an attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the tragic loss of approximately 1,400 lives. According to US President Joe Biden, this attack was strategically aimed at disrupting the potential rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, as he disclosed during a campaign fundraiser.
Biden’s remarks indicated that Saudi Arabia had expressed an interest in recognizing Israel, similar to their neighboring Gulf nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. These two countries had taken significant steps toward establishing diplomatic relations with Israel back in 2020 during the previous US administration led by Donald Trump. However, Saudi Arabia has not followed suit, asserting that addressing Palestinian statehood aspirations should take precedence.
The motive behind the Hamas assault on Israel, as explained by President Biden, was linked to his impending discussions with Saudi leaders. He emphasized that the Saudis had shown a willingness to consider recognizing Israel, which likely made them a target for disruption.
The effort to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states was a key focus for Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Riyadh in June. While he acknowledged that immediate progress was unlikely, Blinken mentioned to CNN on October 8 that the attack may have been an attempt to hinder the ongoing efforts to foster closer ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Despite the challenges, President Biden expressed optimism about the prospect of normalization in an interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired the previous Sunday, asserting that it remained a viable goal, albeit one that would require time and patience.
In response to the October 7 attack, Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in the tragic loss of more than 4,000 lives. The Israeli government also declared its intention to take action to secure the release of hostages taken by the Hamas militants and to dismantle the group.