Saudi Arabia and UAE, despite war, maintain support for Israel ties

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, key Middle East powers, plan to continue their diplomatic and economic rapprochement with Israel, despite surging opposition in the Arab and Muslim world to Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Riyadh and Abu Dhabi’s positions — if they hold — could offer the Biden administration crucial partners to try and forge a new political leadership in the Palestinian territories if Israel makes good on its campaign to dislodge Hamas, the militant group that killed 1,400 Israelis in its October 7 terrorist attack….