Pompeo Urges KSA to Normalize Relations with Israel

Today, the US and Saudi Foreign Ministers, Mike Pompeo and Faisal bin Farhan discussed strengthening relations between Washington and Riyadh in several areas, especially security and economic. Pompeo also urged Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel.

The US foreign minister said, in a press briefing along with his Saudi counterpart: "Today we discussed security and regional issues and Iran's actions that threaten stability and trade in the region."

''We hope that Saudi Arabia will study the normalization of relations with Israel," he said, adding that he hopes the nation will encourage Palestinian leaders or the Palestinian Authority to return to negotiations with Israel.

Moreover, he stated that he hopes KSA encourages Palestinian leaders or the Palestinian Authority to return to negotiations with Israel.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz stressed to President Donald Trump that there would be no normalization with Israel without Palestinian statehood.

The monarch‘ remarks, which were published by the kingdom’s state news agency, came during a phone call between both leaders back in September.

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain last month signed agreements toward normalizing relations with Israel in a strategic realignment of Middle Eastern countries against Iran.