Talk of normalisation between Saudi Arabia and Israel is hotting up. 

Israel signed the Abraham Accords with the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco in 2020, and were deemed to be a major development in the region.

Israel is now looking to Saudi Arabia for a normalisation deal, which if achieved would have a major impact on the Middle East. 

But the deal is proving more difficult than the first normalisation deals. There are three main stumbling points. A Saudi security pact. Saudi nuclear ambitions. And the Palestine issue. 

This week on The New Arab Voice, we ask why Israel and Saudi Arabia are seeking normalisation? Can the Saudis get the security pact they want? Will the US agree to work with the Saudis on a civilian nuclear programme? Can the Palestinians get concessions from Israel, as part of the deal? And can the government of Benjamin Netanyahu's government survive a deal with Saudi Arabia?

Joining us to talk all things normalisation, we have Gerald Feierstein, a distinguished senior fellow on US diplomacy at the Middle East Institute (@MiddleEastInst), and Director of its Arabian Peninsula Affairs programme.

Also, Joe Macaron (@macaronjoe), a Global Fellow with the Wilson Centre's Middle East Program (@TheWilsonCenter) and research analyst primarily focusing on US strategy, conflict analysis, and international relations in the Middle East.

This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge (@hugogoodridge). 

Theme music by Omar al-Fil. 

To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TheNewArabVoice.

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