Biden’s hopes for establishing Israel-Saudi relations could become a casualty of the new Mideast war

By AAMER MADHANI and ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Less than three weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat beside President Joe Biden and marveled that a “historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia” seemed within reach. Now, the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinians is threatening to delay or derail a country-by-country diplomatic push by the United States to improve relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The startling attack by Hamas — and much of the Arab world’s response to it — has also raised new questions about whether Palestinian ambitions for sovereignty can be put aside while the U.S. tries to help Israel move ahead with improving relations with the rest of its Middle East neighbors.