White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan travels on Saturday to Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and will visit Israel on Sunday to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Quick Read
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is set to visit Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend to engage in high-stakes discussions. Here are the key points:
- Diplomatic Itinerary: Sullivan will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, and with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on Sunday.
- Focus in Israel: In Israel, Sullivan aims to advise a more measured military approach against Hamas in Gaza, specifically targeting militants rather than a broad assault, especially concerning the densely populated area of Rafah.
- Discussions in Saudi Arabia: Talks in Saudi Arabia will cover bilateral and regional issues, particularly the ongoing conflict in Gaza and efforts towards lasting peace and security in the region.
- U.S.-Saudi Relations: The visit will also touch on finalizing an agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia concerning U.S. security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance, amidst ongoing discussions about a broader Middle East normalization deal.
- Additional Diplomatic Efforts: Sullivan’s trip includes coordination with U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk, who has been in the region discussing the release of hostages held by Hamas.
This diplomatic mission by Sullivan underscores the U.S.’s active involvement in seeking resolutions to the current tensions and conflicts in the Middle East.
The Associated Press has the story:
White House’s Jake Sullivan heads to Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend
Newslooks- WASHINGTON- (AP)
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan travels on Saturday to Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and will visit Israel on Sunday to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Sullivan will stress in his talks with the Israelis the need to go after Hamas militants in Gaza in a targeted way, not with a full-scale assault on the southern city of Gaza.
Kirby said Sullivan in his talks with the Saudis will discuss “bilateral and regional matters including the war in Gaza of course and ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region.”
A U.S. official said Biden’s Middle East envoy, Brett McGurk, was in the region this week for consultations, including a visit to Doha to discuss efforts to gain the release of hostages held by Hamas. McGurk will join Sullivan for the visits to Saudi and Israel, the official said.
Sources say the Biden administration and Saudi Arabia are finalizing an agreement for U.S. security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance, even as an Israel-Saudi normalization deal envisioned as part of a Middle East “grand bargain” remains elusive.
Kirby said Sullivan’s talks with Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials will include Rafah. Israel has threatened a broad offensive in Rafah but the operation is opposed by the United States out of concerns for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled there to get out of the way of fighting elsewhere in Gaza.00:21At least 10 killed in Israeli strike in Gaza’s Jabalia camp.
Kirby said Sullivan will argue for a more targeted approach against Hamas militants in Rafah. He also said Sullivan will discuss recent stalled efforts to reach a deal with Hamas on the release of sick, elderly and wounded hostages held since the militants seized hostages in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
