Edited by: Fern Sidman

A group of 20 Senate Democrats has made their concerns and expectations clear regarding a potential deal with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, as was reported by JewishInsider.com.  In a letter organized by Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Peter Welch (D-VT), sent to President Joe Biden, these lawmakers expressed skepticism about a proposed defense treaty with Riyadh, called for significant protections for Palestinians, and insisted on strict conditions for any potential nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the report added.

The letter’s signatories include many of the Senate’s progressive critics of Israeli policy but some who’ve taken more traditional views on the U.S.-Israel relationship, according to the JewishInsider.com report. Signatories included Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ed Markey (D-MA) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM).

The letter highlights the complexity of securing a trilateral deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia while broadening the U.S.-Saudi relationship, according to the JewishInsider.com report.  It also underscores the challenges that lie ahead for the Biden administration in navigating these intricate diplomatic waters.

“A high degree of proof would be required to show that a binding defense treaty with Saudi Arabia — an authoritarian regime which regularly undermines U.S. interests in the region, has a deeply concerning human rights record, and has pursued an aggressive and reckless foreign policy agenda — aligns with U.S. interests, especially if such a commitment requires the U.S. to deploy substantial new permanent resources to the region,” the letter reads, as was reported by JewishInsider.com.

One of the primary concerns raised by the Senate Democrats is the prospect of a U.S. security guarantee to Saudi Arabia. They point out that such guarantees have historically been extended to fellow democracies and have not been pursued in the volatile Middle East. The JewishInsider.com report noted that they emphasize the need for careful deliberation before providing advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia, citing the authoritarian regime’s human rights record and aggressive foreign policy agenda.

Senator Murphy, during a virtual press conference, framed the potential treaty as a “bet” on whether Saudi Arabia would consistently align itself with U.S. national security interests. The JewishInsider.com reported that he raised questions about Saudi Arabia’s historic tendency to play the United States off against other global powers to secure the best possible deal for Riyadh.

Murphy underscored the significance of formalized normalization in the context of increasingly public informal ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. He believes that a formalized agreement would provide stability in the Middle East and lend “moral power” to advancing peace on the global stage, as was said in the JewishInsider.com report.  The informality of current relations, while stable, should not be taken for granted, according to Murphy.

The letter also insists that any deal should include clear and enforceable provisions that benefit Palestinians living in Judea and Samaria and preserve the possibility of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The JewishInsider.com report indicated that this includes commitments from Israel not to annex any part of the “West Bank,” an end to settlement construction and expansion, the dismantling of illegal outposts, and provisions for the natural growth of Palestinian population centers as well as free travel between contiguous Palestinian areas.

Despite recognizing that these concessions may be challenging for the current Israeli coalition government, the Senators stressed the importance of the U.S.’s long-term interest in the stability of the Middle East and the need to reduce flashpoints in the region, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to the JewishInsider.com report.

Regarding potential nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the lawmakers call for stringent standards and safeguards equivalent to those in “123 Agreements” with other partners to prevent the possibility of a nuclear weapons program. They said that these safeguards should also include a commitment from Saudi Arabia to adhere to stringent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, ensuring transparency and accountability in any nuclear endeavors, according to the report. The Senators’ focus on nuclear cooperation underscores the importance of avoiding any proliferation risks in the region.

While the letter presents a list of demands and concerns, the Senators also emphasized that they are “maintaining an open mind” about any potential agreement, according to the JewishInsider.com report. They expressed support in principle for the administration’s efforts to pursue peace between Saudi Arabia and Israel. The report added that the goal of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, akin to the Abraham Accords, is one that enjoys broad support among the signatories.

They also stressed the need for a clear understanding of what benefits the United States would gain from the agreement, considering Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and its relationships with Russia and China.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin (D-MD) told the JewishInsider.com that he had not seen the letter, but reiterated his own concerns about human rights in Saudi Arabia and safeguards on a potential Saudi nuclear program. He emphasized the importance of getting the details right and ensuring a transparent process, including hearings.

Cardin also said that whether a deal could gain support from the majority of Senate Democrats will depend on what it entails.

“This is such an important transaction. If they can get it done, I’m all for it,” he told JewishInsider.com. “But there are lots of areas that have to be done right. So one of the things that I intend to do as chair is make sure that we have a very transparent process, the hearings, et cetera, that are going to be necessary.”