What's happened
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's recent talks in Saudi Arabia and Israel focus on a potential normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, contingent on a pathway to a Palestinian state. The ongoing conflict in Gaza complicates these diplomatic efforts.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Times of Israel, Jake Sullivan emphasized the need for Israel to consider a pathway to Palestinian statehood during his talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu. This aligns with the broader US strategy to stabilize the region through diplomatic agreements. Meanwhile, the New York Times highlights the urgency of a ceasefire in Gaza as a prerequisite for any normalization deal, indicating that the current military operations could jeopardize these diplomatic efforts. The Japan Times notes that Sullivan's discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were framed around a 'semi-final' security agreement, underscoring the complexity of the negotiations amid ongoing violence.
How we got here
The Biden administration has been negotiating with Saudi Arabia to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. However, the recent Israel-Hamas conflict has stalled these discussions, with demands for a ceasefire and steps toward Palestinian statehood becoming central to the negotiations.
Common question
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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Jacob Jeremiah Sullivan is an American policymaker and was a senior policy advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, with expertise in foreign policy. He was spoken of as a front-runner for the position of U.S.
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Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, colloquially known as MBS, is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. He is currently serving as the country's deputy prime minister and is also Chairman of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs, Chairman of
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The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.