Sullivan postpones Saudi Arabia trip amid Israel normalization talks

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has delayed his scheduled trip to Saudi Arabia, where discussions were expected to revolve around a potential agreement between the Biden administration and Riyadh, including significant security assurances from Washington in exchange for Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel.

The postponement was announced by White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby during a press briefing. 

Kirby attributed the decision partly to a minor accident that resulted in Sullivan sustaining a cracked rib.

Although Kirby did not explicitly link the postponement to Monday's deadly Israeli strike on aid workers in Gaza, reports suggest that Riyadh may be reevaluating its stance on normalizing ties with Israel in light of international condemnation surrounding the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

Prior to the escalation of hostilities with Hamas, there were widespread reports of ongoing negotiations between Saudi Arabia and the United States. 

The negotiations aimed to broker an agreement in which Riyadh would formalize diplomatic relations with Jerusalem.

 In return, Saudi Arabia would receive substantial security guarantees from the U.S. and assistance with developing a civilian nuclear program.