White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby stated on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has reassured US President Joe Biden’s administration that it is still interested in negotiating an accord that will normalise relations with Israel when the Gaza conflict ends.
Although Riyadh has not condemned Hamas’ 7 October terrorist attack on Israel, Saudi officials have been critical of Israeli military actions in Gaza.
The US is confident that #SaudiArabia is still interested in pursuing a normalization agreement with #Israel despite the war in #Gaza, US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.https://t.co/YjBuR0BhPQ
— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) November 1, 2023
Saudi’s Continued Interest in Mega Deal
Kirby stated, “without getting into the specifics of diplomacy, I think we — we came away from those discussions confident that there’s a — that there’ll be a path to get back towards — to normalisation and that there’s still interest on the Saudi side in pursuing that.”
However, Kirby stressed that the conflict between Israel and Hamas has made it difficult to make practical progress at the moment.
Kirby pointed out that “even before October 7th, we were still months away from some sort of agreed-to framework. We’re still committed to it. It’s clear to us that the Saudis are still committed to it.”
Furthermore, he expressed concern regarding the situation in Gaza, saying, “we’re all focused, including our Saudi friends, on — what’s going on in Gaza.”
Last week, the White House confirmed that Biden spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), and both leaders “affirmed the importance of working towards a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians as soon as the crisis subsides.”
After the call, Biden indicated that he had “no proof,” but his “instinct” tells him that Hamas may have attacked Israel at the time to sabotage progress on an Israel-Saudi deal.
Crucial Talks at White House: Saudi Defence Minister and US National Security Adviser Discuss Gaza Developments and Global Efforts
— WE News English (@WENewsEnglish) October 31, 2023
👉 https://t.co/6qTzMniUfT#Gaza | #SaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/NRrVLslcHu
Saudi Defence Minister Visits Washington
On Monday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan welcomed Saudi Defence Minister (DM) Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and his delegation at the White House.
The readout says that Sullivan emphasised continued efforts to strengthen the US-Saudi defence alliance, which has “served as a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence” for decades.
Sullivan and the Saudi DM also reviewed the present situation in Gaza, emphasising the urgent need to enhance humanitarian aid to Gazans.
“They further emphasised the importance of working towards a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians, building on the work that was already underway between Saudi Arabia and the US over recent months,” the readout stated.
Saudi Condemns Israel’s Latest Attack on Gaza
Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces’ bombing of the Jabalia refugee camp in the besieged Gaza Strip on Tuesday. The Israeli bombing killed approximately 100 Palestinian civilians and injured several more.
BREAKING: Saudi Arabia says any humanitarian disaster that unfolds in Gaza is the 'responsibility of Israel and the international community'
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) October 31, 2023
According to the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia expressed its outrage and complete rejection of the Israeli occupation forces’ continuous bombing of civilian-populated areas, as well as their ongoing violation of international laws and international humanitarian law.
“This is in the backdrop of the international community’s failure to pressurise the occupation government to accept an immediate ceasefire and a humanitarian truce in accordance with the resolution of the UN General Assembly passed last Friday with broad international consensus,” the statement said.
The Kingdom reiterated that there is no justification for the humanitarian crisis caused by the growing escalation. It reaffirmed that protecting civilians and stopping military operations must be a priority that cannot be delayed or disrupted.
“The failure to immediately adhere to the ceasefire and protect civilians will inevitably lead to humanitarian catastrophe for which the Israeli occupation and the international community must be held accountable,” the ministry stated.