A meeting between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in May, forged a potentially historic agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia that has long been a top priority for President Joe Biden, who wants to normalize relations between the Kingdom and Israel.
The agreement encompasses a range of accords between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, such as defense assurances and collaboration on civil nuclear projects. Amidst China’s efforts to extend its sway in the Middle East, the Biden administration aims to strengthen its bond with Saudi Arabia. The deal also proposes the normalization of Saudi Arabia-Israel relations, which hinges on the more challenging goal of establishing a route towards the creation of a Palestinian state.
Lisa McCormick has issued a strong condemnation of any potential deal that would obligate the United States to defend Saudi Arabian dictators, sell additional weapons to the kingdom, or grant the Middle Eastern theocracy the right to enrich uranium.
McCormick’s statement comes amid reports of ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations between the kingdom and Israel.
“According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, Saudi women experience severe impediments to their human rights, such as discrimination in marriage, family, and divorce. Despite recent reforms, the Saudi government continues to oppress women’s rights activists and movements,” McCormick said. “In 2022, Saudi Arabia executed 196 people – the highest annual number of executions that Amnesty International has recorded in the country in the last 30 years. The number of executions in 2022 is three times higher than in 2021, and at least seven times higher than in 2020.”
McCormick highlighted the oppressive nature of the Saudi regime, noting, “This is a country where women weren’t allowed to drive a car until six years ago, require a male relative to give permission to marry or start certain types of business, and must adhere to a strict dress code. They beheaded people for crimes such as robbery, rape, and drug trafficking. They have no free press, no elected government, no political parties, and the royal family allows the religious police to publicly beat women.”
She also condemned the continued use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
“In clear contrast to Saudi Arabia’s repeated promises to limit its use of the death penalty, authorities there have already executed 100 people this year, revealing their chilling disregard for the right to life,” McCormick said. “Amnesty International has documented numerous cases in which the authorities have sentenced people to death for offenses such as expressing opinions on social media, following grossly unfair trials.”
McCormick stressed the human rights abuses perpetuated by the Saudi regime, including the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, the harsh treatment of migrants, and systemic discrimination against women.
“Salma al-Shehab, 34, was sentenced to 34 years in prison for having a Twitter account and retweeting dissidents. Loujain al-Hathloul, a prominent feminist activist, was imprisoned and tortured for supporting driving rights for women and now lives under a travel ban,” said McCormick. “It is bad enough that President Biden has failed to acknowledge that three-quarters of the American states have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, but getting in bed with misogynists and murderers would be going too far.”
McCormick criticized the potential U.S.-Saudi defense pact, which would include a commitment to protect Saudi Arabia from external attacks and allow the kingdom to enrich uranium under the guise of a peaceful nuclear program.
“Such an agreement would be a grave mistake. It would align the United States with a regime that consistently violates human rights and international norms,” said McCormick, who waged a spirited grassroots challenge to US Senator Bob Menendez in the 2018 Democratic primary.
She also addressed the broader geopolitical implications of the deal.
“The administration’s focus on this agreement distracts from more pressing issues, such as ending the Gaza war and resolving the Palestine-Israel conflict through a two-state solution,” McCormick said. “Many Democratic senators have voiced opposition to the treaty, citing Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and the risks associated with a nuclear program.”
Saudi Arabia is one of only three nations in the world that still have an absolute monarchy in which the sovereign is the sole source of political power, unconstrained by constitutions, legislatures or other checks on their authority.
Under Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, popularly known by his initials as MBS, Saudi Arabia began coordinating its energy policy with Russia, strengthened its relations with China and systematically repressed political dissidents through methods including imprisonment and torture.
A 2021 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report asserted that MBS had orchestrated the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“It is appalling that instead of pushing for justice for his murder, the international community continues to roll out the red carpet for Saudi Arabia’s leaders at any opportunity, placing diplomatic and economic interests before human rights,” said Agnès Callamard, head of Amnesty International and a former U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings who investigated Khashoggi’s death.
McCormick is urging the U.S. administration to reconsider its priorities and focus on genuine peace and human rights advancements.
“We must not compromise our values by entering into deals with regimes that show blatant disregard for human rights and international law. Our foreign policy should reflect our commitment to justice and equality, not perpetuate oppression,” said McCormick.