The surprise Hamas attack has dealt a blow to U.S. efforts to broker a landmark normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia and complicated Washington's approach toward Iran, Hamas' longtime benefactor.
“Quite simply, all efforts at normalization are on hold for the foreseeable future,” said Jon Alterman, head of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, contradicting the official U.S. government line.
Khaled Elgindy, a former Palestinian negotiations adviser, accused the Biden administration of leading an Israeli-Saudi normalization process that mostly bypassed the Palestinians and their hopes of ending Israeli occupation.
“That sort of neglect is part of why we're seeing what we're seeing,” said Elgindy, now at the Middle East Institute.
The immediate challenge is preventing the war from spiraling into a broader conflict, administration officials say, especially preventing the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah from opening a second front on Israel's northern border.
Persons:
Joe Biden, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Israel, ”, Jon Alterman, John Kirby, “, ” Jonathan Panikoff, government’s, Khaled Elgindy, Elgindy, Panikoff, –, Netanyahu, Jake Sullivan, Biden’s, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Matt Spetalnick, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, David Brunnstrom, Steve Holland, Alexander Cornwell, Parisa, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Heather Timmons, Howard Goller
Organizations:
Hamas, White, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Center for Strategic, International, White House National Security Council, Middle East Institute, Saudi, The Atlantic, Hezbollah, West Bank, Reuters, Atlantic Council, Thomson
Locations:
Israel, Washington , U.S, Saudi, Gaza, Ukraine, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Hamas, Tehran, Israeli, Riyadh, Washington, Lebanese, IRAN, Dubai