US National Security Advisor Meets with Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia; Sullivan to Visit Israel After Saudi Arabia

According to the Saudi state news agency, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, met on Sunday, May 19. According to a Reuters report, the meeting in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, reviewed "the near-final draft of strategic agreements between the two countries that are almost finalized." Sources say that the Biden administration and Saudi Arabia are finalizing an agreement for US security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance, while the normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, seen as part of a "grand deal" in the Middle East, remains uncertain. An American official told the Times of Israel that one of the main topics of the National Security Advisor's discussion with the Saudi Crown Prince is the Biden administration's long-standing efforts to normalize relations between Riyadh and Jerusalem. According to the report, Sullivan will travel to Israel after Saudi Arabia. This American official stated that Sullivan will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel to update him on his discussions in Riyadh. According to the report, discussions about Israel's planned military operations in Rafah will also be part of these talks. Reuters also reported that John Kirby, the White House National Security spokesperson, told reporters that Sullivan will emphasize the need for Israel's operations against Hamas militants in Gaza to be targeted and not involve a full-scale assault on the southern city of Rafah. Kirby stated that Sullivan will discuss bilateral and regional issues with the Saudis, including the Gaza war and ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region. Kirby also noted that Sullivan's negotiations with Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials will include the Rafah issue. Israel is prepared for a large-scale attack in Rafah, but the United States opposes extensive operations in the area due to concerns for the safety of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have taken refuge there. According to Kirby, Sullivan will discuss a more targeted approach against Hamas militants in Rafah. He also mentioned that Sullivan will talk about the recent stalled efforts to reach an agreement with Hamas regarding the release of sick, elderly, and wounded hostages. Hamas, the Iranian-backed militants, killed 1,200 people in their attacks on Israel on October 7 and took about 250 hostages. Several countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Israel, have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. Reuters' report on the benefits, risks, and obstacles of the US-Saudi nuclear agreement coincided with Jake Sullivan's visit, as Israeli tanks entered more areas in Rafah. Senior Biden administration officials reiterated their opposition to Israel's "large-scale military operations" in Rafah. The White House National Security Advisor stated that the new security agreement between Washington and Riyadh requires the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Blinken stated that the US-Saudi security agreement for normalizing relations with Israel is in its final stages.