Saudi Arabia still open to Israeli normalization deal, says White House

Saudi Arabia is still open to a normalization deal with Israel despite the Gaza War, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.

“We are still committed to it. It’s clear to us that the Saudis are still committed to it, but obviously we are all focused on what is going on there in Gaza,” Kirby said.

John Kirby briefed media after American National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday met with Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud.

“We came away from those discussions confident that there will be a path to get back towards to normalization.

There is still interest in the Saudi side in pursuing that.What is going on between Israel and Hamas makes it harder to make practical progress on it right now,”John Kirby stated.

During Sullivan’s meeting with the Saudi defense minister on Monday, the two men affirmed the importance of deterring any state or non-state actor from seeking to expand the conflict, according to The White House said that .

The Saudi defence minister, however, said in a tweet that he stressed to Mr Sullivan the need for an immediate ‘ceasefire’ in Gaza, protection of civilians, allowing humanitarian aid and resuming the peace process.

As the White House said, both sides are now addressing the immediate crisis in Gaza, as Saudis press for a ceasefire to protect civilians and allow humanitarian aid.