On all kinds of bitter pills – Amos Harel in Haaretz:

‘But even if nothing comes of the talks, Netanyahu has a lot to gain just from reports about them. Domestically, he sends a message of willingness to compromise, which could improve his position when the Supreme Court starts hearing a series of petitions against the overhaul next week. And any report that the government is showing more flexibility could sow confusion and division in the protesters’ ranks.’

(…)

‘It’s no accident that reports of the political talks on the overhaul were accompanied by optimistic predictions of significant progress with Riyadh. Those, however, are accurate. The Israelis, the Saudis and, no less, their American mediators are all invested in furthering the talks.
The Biden administration sees this as a necessary foreign policy achievement for the president. To get a deal with the Saudis, which is also essential for Netanyahu, Biden is willing to consider a more positive attitude toward the prime minister despite their troubled history and American opposition to the overhaul.
Moreover, Biden needs Netanyahu to help the Americans swallow a bitter pill – the demand by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the kingdom be allowed a civilian nuclear program that includes full control of the fuel production cycle on Saudi soil. To get such a move through Congress, which would require support from some Republicans, Biden needs a seal of approval from Netanyahu.
This issue is being intensively negotiated between Washington and Jerusalem. But it has sparked fierce opposition from many nuclear experts hailing from Israel’s defense establishment.
Israel will also have to swallow a bitter pill – the gestures to the Palestinians that Riyadh will demand in exchange for signing the agreement. Senior Palestinian officials recently went to Amman to meet with the Saudi ambassador to Jordan, who was recently given a second job as Saudi Arabia’s representative to the Palestinian Authority. The officials included Hussein al-Sheikh and Majed Faraj, both of whom are close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.’

Read the article here.

Ronen Bergman reported in ‘Rise and Kill First’ that were two Israeli prime ministers who put their own interests before the interests of the state: Barak and Netanyahu.

It’s very well possible that Saudi Arabia will be allowed a ‘civilian’ nuclear program – the military establishment is not very enthusiastic about this idea – with the support of Netanyahu, just because it might buy him some time i.e. it will give his government some breathing space.