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Together with Republican colleagues, lawmakers have denounced Prince Mohammed for the homicide of Mr. Khashoggi — through which he has vehemently denied taking part in any position — and the mass killing of civilians within the warfare in Yemen. A prime Democrat within the Senate, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, has positioned a maintain on the sale of sure weapons to Saudi Arabia.
Lawmakers have additionally expressed their issues over any transfer by Saudi Arabia to counterpoint uranium in its territory, citing proliferation issues. For years, the State Division has been attempting to barter what it calls a 123 settlement with the Saudis, which might lay out powerful nonproliferation standards to permit for American cooperation on civilian nuclear power, although Saudi officers have balked on the restrictions partly due to Iran’s program. The US has such an settlement with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia’s neighbor, that bans in-country uranium enrichment.
However Democratic and Republican lawmakers are usually supportive of selling normalization between Israel and Arab nations, they usually know that such accords could be a political achieve to win over pro-Israel voters throughout election seasons.
Aides working for the 2 prime senators on the Senate International Relations Committee, Mr. Menendez and Jim Risch, Republican of Idaho, are drafting a invoice that requires the U.S. authorities to attempt to deepen the Abraham Accords and broaden what they name “regional integration.”
Among the many Republicans, an unlikely determine has stepped ahead providing to assist: Mr. Graham. In an interview, he mentioned he has been working with prime Biden administration officers to assist to dealer Saudi-Israeli peace.
“Ending the Arab-Israeli battle could be a sport changer for the world and additional isolate Iran,” he mentioned.
Mr. Graham says he has spoken to Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and minority chief, and different prime G.OP. lawmakers, and mentioned there would probably be “plenty of assist on the Republican aspect.” He met with Prince Mohammed in Riyadh earlier this yr, and has frequent discussions with senior Israeli officers.
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