The US is in the final stages of negotiating a landmark trade and defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, after failed attempts to see Riyadh normalise ties with Israel. Officials from the Biden administration have emphasised that the deal is intended to be linked to a broader settlement involving Israel and the Palestinians, with media outlets saying the deal could “reshape the Middle East”. The New Arab examines what the deal entails, why it’s happening now, how it relates to Palestine and Israel’s war on Gaza, and its broader implications for the region. What is the US-Saudi deal?No specific d…