National security adviser meets with Saudi crown prince on Israel-Hamas war

National security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Sullivan traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the meeting. He is set to travel to Israel and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war Cabinet on Thursday and Friday.

The crown prince and Sullivan “discussed a number of bilateral and regional matters, including ongoing efforts to create new conditions for an enduring and sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. They also discussed the humanitarian response in Gaza, including efforts to increase the flow of critical aid,” according to a readout from the White House.

Additionally, they spoke about where the U.S. and Saudi Arabia can deepen bilateral cooperation, including in areas like “security, commerce, space exploration, and advanced technologies, including open radio access (O-Ran) networks.”

President Biden spoke with Crown Prince Mohammed about the Israel-Hamas war in October, during which the two leaders agreed to pursue diplomatic efforts to prevent the war from expanding. They also agreed to stay in close coordination as the situation unfolds.

Biden had a controversial meeting with the crown prince last year when he greeted him with a fist bump amid concerns about human rights issues. The two met in September at the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi and they greeted one another with a handshake. 

While campaigning for president, Biden called Saudi Arabia a “pariah” after the 2018 murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi.