The agreements are considered a major part of Washington’s efforts to bring Riyadh around to recognizing the State of Israel for the first time — efforts complicated by the ongoing war in Gaza.
Saudi state media released no images of Jake Sullivan and Prince Mohammed’s meeting in Dhahran, a city in the kingdom’s far east that’s home to its state-run oil giant, the Saudi Arabian Oil Co. known as Saudi Aramco.
“The semi-final version of the draft strategic agreements between the kingdom and the United States of America, which are almost being finalized — and what is being worked on between the two sides in the Palestinian issue to find a credible path — were discussed,” the statement released after the talks said.
That included “a two-state solution that meets the aspirations and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people” and “the situation in Gaza and the need to stop the war there and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid,” the statement added. READ MORE