Saudis reportedly offer Palestinians aid to boost support for Israel talks

Saudi Arabia is offering to resume aid to the Palestinian Authority in what appears to be a bid to appease Ramallah amid normalisation talks with Israel, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. 

The report cites Saudi officials and former Palestinian officials “familiar with the discussions” between Riyadh and the Palestinian Authority.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly offered to resume the aid when Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Riyadh in April.

The financial aid would, however, be contingent on the Palestinian Authority reigning in terror groups in the West Bank and restoring its control over the territory, according to the officials who spoke to WSJ.

Bin Salman apparently also promised Abbas that any deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel wouldn’t hurt the Palestinians’ hope of getting their own state.

Meanwhile, several foreign media outlets have reported that Saudi Arabia is demanding significant concessions from Israel toward the Palestinians if a normalisation deal is to be signed between the two countries.

Israel, meanwhile, has downplayed this element of a potential deal, with Finance Minister Smotrich outright refusing that any concessions will be made to the Palestinians.

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Israel National News on Tuesday that he believes an agreement with Saudi Arabia “can happen, it is within reach, within the next six months.”

“We are working to break through and bring diplomatic achievements. In just the last six months, two Muslim countries opened embassies in Israel. Next week a country from Asia will open an embassy in Jerusalem,” he said.

In addition to Israeli concessions vis a vis the Palestinians, Riyadh is reportedly also seeking a NATO-like deal with the U.S., that will guarantee American protection in case of war, as well as permission to develop a nuclear programme.