Sullivan travels to Israel after meeting with Saudi Crown Prince

(Patria) - White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to discuss the conflict in Gaza and other regional issues, two U.S. officials said, Reuters reports.

Sullivan, who will visit Israel on Thursday and Friday, discussed with the Saudis "broader diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the spread of the conflict between Israel and Hamas," one official said.

U.S. negotiations aimed at reaching a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia were halted by Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people, but all parties have said they want to keep the effort to reach a deal alive for when the time is right.

Sullivan will travel to Israel on Thursday and will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the Israeli war cabinet on Thursday and Friday.
U.S. officials said Sullivan will also discuss with the Saudis efforts to deter ongoing Houthi attacks on international commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

He will also build on work that has been underway between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. in recent months to create what officials have described as a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby said Sullivan will discuss with the Israelis the need to be more precise in their strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza.

Gaza's Ministry of Health estimates that more than 18,000 people in Gaza have been killed.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that Israel was losing support due to its "indiscriminate" bombing of Gaza and that Netanyahu should change, revealing a new rift in relations with the Israeli prime minister.