In a high-stakes diplomatic move, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has embarked on a whirlwind tour of the Middle East to push for a political solution to the war in Gaza and a regional deal with Saudi Arabia. Sullivan’s visit included talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and other top officials in the region.
The White House has expressed growing frustration with Israel over its plans to launch a ground offensive in southern Gaza, as well as its resistance to a Middle East peace plan that includes Palestinian statehood. Sullivan emphasized the need for Israel to connect its military operations to a political strategy that would ensure the defeat of Hamas, the release of hostages, and a better future for Gaza.
One of the key goals of the US in the Middle East is to broker a three-way agreement involving a security pact between the US and Saudi Arabia, normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Sullivan’s talks with Prince Mohammed and Netanyahu focused on the potential for progress in the region.
Meanwhile, domestic pressures are mounting on President Joe Biden, with backlash from parts of the leftwing base of the Democratic party over his support for Israel. Biden, in a commencement speech at Morehouse College, emphasized the need for a lasting peace in the region and posed critical questions about the future of Gaza and the rights of the Palestinian people.
Amidst these diplomatic and domestic challenges, the US has taken the unprecedented step of withholding a shipment of bombs to Israel out of concern for their potential use in densely populated urban areas. Despite this, military aid to Israel continues to flow from Washington.