In a recent address at a campaign fundraiser in Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden suggested that the recent series of unprecedented attacks by Hamas on Israel were aimed at thwarting the diplomatic progress between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

During the event on Friday, President Biden shared his belief that Hamas initiated the attacks on October 7 as a deliberate move to impede his efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. He remarked, "Guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel... to unite the Middle East," emphasizing that Hamas was aware of his upcoming discussions with Saudi officials.

President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the normalization process, stating in a recent interview with CBS's 60 Minutes that the prospects were still alive, but they would require time to develop. This statement followed reports that Saudi officials had temporarily halted talks with Israel in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which were followed by Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

Riyadh has expressed concerns about the well-being of Palestinians in Gaza, which has suffered significant casualties from Israeli airstrikes, as reported by Palestinian authorities, with over 4,137 people killed.

Saudi Arabia had previously supported the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, which led to the normalization of ties between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain with Israel in 2020. However, the recognition of Israel itself by Saudi Arabia remains pending.

The Biden administration has been actively promoting the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, two of Washington's most influential allies in the Middle East. Recent months had shown signs of improving relations between the two nations.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had conveyed in a September interview with Fox News that Riyadh was moving closer to normalization with Israel daily, while emphasizing that resolving the Palestinian issue was a critical factor in reaching a comprehensive agreement.

During discussions on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed President Biden that a deal was nearly within reach.

Moreover, Israel and Saudi Arabia were among approximately two dozen nations that pledged to collaborate on a rail and shipping corridor, as announced by President Biden at the G20 summit held in India.

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