The head of Israel’s intelligence group Mossad, David Barnea, held secret discussions with the U.S. in regards to the Biden administration’s ongoing efforts to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Tel Aviv, in keeping with a report.
Barnea, who heads Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, met senior White House and CIA officers two weeks in the past in regards to the effort to determine diplomatic relations between the international locations, Axios reported citing two nameless U.S. officers.
U.S. President Joe Biden is looking for to cement an settlement by early subsequent 12 months on the newest that might see Saudi Arabia and Israel formally acknowledge one another. Biden is eager to have the pact in place earlier than the 2024 marketing campaign season kicks into excessive gear subsequent spring, in keeping with Axios.
Barnea’s go to comes as Israel desires to make sure its safety pursuits are clear to Washington, together with proposals that might see the U.S. present Riyadh with help in creating a civilian nuclear program and potential arms gross sales to the Kingdom, the publication mentioned.
Jake Sullivan, Biden’s nationwide safety adviser, visited Riyadh final week, and the White House mentioned he mentioned with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and different senior officers “initiatives to advance a common vision for a more peaceful, secure, prosperous, and stable Middle East region interconnected with the world.”
Barnea met Sullivan earlier than he departed for Saudi Arabia, and likewise sat down with a number of different key administration officers, together with CIA Director Bill Burns, White House Middle East point-person Brett McGurk, and Amos Hochstein, Biden’s power and infrastructure aide.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
