Senior Israeli officials reportedly slated to visit US next week, discussion to focus on Iran and Saudi Arabia
Iranian nuclear threat and potential peace prospects between Israel and Saudi Arabia are reportedly on the meeting agenda
Close senior aides of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with senior U.S. officials in Washington next week to discuss issues related to Iran and Saudi Arabia, according to an Axios news media report.
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi will reportedly meet with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and other high-ranking American officials to discuss the ongoing Iranian nuclear threat, as well as potential peace prospects between Israel and Saudi Arabia, according to several unnamed American and Israeli officials.
Dermer, an American-born Israeli diplomat who previously served as the Jewish state’s ambassador in Washington, is a close Netanyahu ally and considered to be highly-experienced in U.S.-Israeli diplomacy.
Top Israeli military officials recently warned that the Iranian regime’s nuclear progress could potentially trigger an Israeli strike on Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
“We have the capability to strike Iran. We are not aloof to what Iran is trying to do around us. Iran also cannot be aloof to what we can do against it,” said Israel Defense Forces Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi.
Meanwhile, since his reelection, Netanyahu has stated that he wants to pursue diplomatic normalization between the Jewish state and Saudi Arabia.
The two countries currently do not have official diplomatic relations. However, Israel and Saudi Arabia have developed tacit ties due to the shared perceived threat posed by the Iranian regime.
In addition, the Saudis played an instrumental role in realizing the historic Arab-Israeli Abraham Accords in 2020. However, the main question is what price the Saudis will demand from Washington and Jerusalem for full diplomatic Saudi-Israeli ties and whether Netanyahu is willing to accept it.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
