Progress in Saudi-Israeli normalization talks? The US and Saudi Arabia have agreed on a broad outline of an agreement for the latter to normalize relations with Israel, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed officials. Key points in the complex negotiation include Israel making concessions to the Palestinians, Saudi Arabia making commitments to decrease affiliations with China, and the US giving the Gulf state security guarantees. While the Biden administration acknowledges that there is still a considerable distance to cover, it remains hopeful about reaching an agreement within the next nine to 12 months.

Could the two countries cooperate on a transport corridor? Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently touted his confidence that it will deepen economic ties with the kingdom, even without establishing formal relations. There is “an economic corridor of energy, transport, and communications that naturally goes through our geography [with Saudi Arabia]… we will realize [this] whether we have formal peace or not,” Netanyhu told Bloomberg in an interview (watch, run time: 3:40). Reports of a prospective land route via Saudi Arabia linking the UAE and Israel were circulating in July.

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