Seth J. Frantzman
Jerusalem Post, May 8, 2023
“… in January 2022 they [JINSA] had “urged the US government to seize the opportunity to start building a new Middle East defense architecture premised on bringing America’s regional partners together in common cause to counter the growing menace from Iran.”
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Saudi Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan as well as the Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on May 7.
This was a meeting that was described as backing “regional integration.” It comes amid several recent suggestions that Saudi Arabia and Israel could still be on the path toward relations.
The US meeting with the Saudis, UAE and India is important.
The US has been talking to the Saudis about Yemen and Sudan. The US has said it wants to see a secure Middle East that is interconnected with India. Towards that end, the US is part of the I2U2 framework of Israel, India, the UAE and US.
Reports in Israel late last week said that Israel was hopeful about potential ties with Saudi Arabia.
Sullivan spoke at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and discussed Israel’s integration in the region. He mentioned the Negev Forum and other developments. He was asked about Israel-Saudi normalization.
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