The Biden administration is holding meetings with Saudi Arabia on the issue of normalization with Israel, Walla! reported.
According to the report, the US would like to see Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan raised the issue in his meeting with the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the kingdom last month, three US and Arab sources familiar with the issue said.
According to the sources, bin Salman did not reject outright the possibility of normalizing ties with Israel. The Saudis emphasized, however, that such a process would take time, and gave Sullivan a list of steps which will need to be taken before it can happen. Several of those steps include improving the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US. The White House would not discuss details, Walla! added.
On Thursday, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud visited Washington, D.C., meeting with Blinken. In their public statements, neither side mentioned the issue of normalizing ties with Israel.
A spokesperson for the National Security Council in the White House responded: "I want to turn your attention to the words of Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken, who said at the ceremony marking a year since the Abraham Accords were signed, that the Biden administration will encourage other countries to follow in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, and added that we want to expand the circle of peace by means of diplomacy."