
About this episode
For the past few months, President Biden's top foreign policy advisors have been working as intermediaries between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Eventually they want to get the two countries to agree on a deal to finally establish formal diplomatic relations.
It would be a breakthrough for Israel to get that recognition, after decades of Arab hostility stemming from the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Saudi Arabia is home to two of Islam's holiest sites, and it's an oil giant in the region.
But it seems like an almost impossible three-way agreement. So, what's standing in the way?
NPR's Daniel Estrin, who covers Israel, speaks with Felicia Schwartz from the Financial Times, Bader Al Saif, an assistant professor of history at the University of Kuwait, and fellow NPR correspondent Aya Batrawy, who covers Saudi Arabia, to understand what challenges remain for the two countries to normalize relations.
In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.
Email us at [email protected].
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
It would be a breakthrough for Israel to get that recognition, after decades of Arab hostility stemming from the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Saudi Arabia is home to two of Islam's holiest sites, and it's an oil giant in the region.
But it seems like an almost impossible three-way agreement. So, what's standing in the way?
NPR's Daniel Estrin, who covers Israel, speaks with Felicia Schwartz from the Financial Times, Bader Al Saif, an assistant professor of history at the University of Kuwait, and fellow NPR correspondent Aya Batrawy, who covers Saudi Arabia, to understand what challenges remain for the two countries to normalize relations.
In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.
Email us at [email protected].
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Get every episode summarized
Each time Consider This from NPR publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Consider This from NPR

25 years after the 9/11 attacks, where does the trial stand?
Consider This from NPR
Sep 11, 202610:54completed

Are big AI companies gambling with our lives?
Consider This from NPR
Sep 10, 20269:44completed

After a difficult trial, how do jurors move on?
Consider This from NPR
Sep 9, 20266:52completed

The Smithsonian's leader is stepping down. Where does the Institution go from he...
Consider This from NPR
Sep 8, 20269:20failed