Saudi pauses talks on normalisation with Israel: Source

RIYADH, Oct 14, 2023 (AFP) Saudi Arabia has suspended talks on potentially normalising ties with Israel, a source told AFP on Saturday, amid the war raging between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

"Saudi Arabia has decided to pause discussion on possible normalisation and has informed US officials," a source familiar with the discussions told AFP.

The Gulf kingdom, home to the holiest sites in Islam, has never recognised Israel and did not join the 2020 US-brokered Abraham Accords that saw its Gulf neighbours Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates as well as Morocco establish formal ties with Israel.

US President Joe Biden's administration had been pushing hard in recent months for Saudi Arabia to take the same step. Under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, son of the ageing King Salman, Riyadh had laid out conditions for normalisation.

In an interview with Fox News last month, Prince Mohammed said "every day we get closer" to a deal, though he also insisted the Palestinian issue was "very important" for Riyadh.

News that normalisation discussions are now on hold comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his Saudi counterpart on Saturday.

Blinken appeals to China

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Blinken called Saturday on China, a partner of Iran, to use its influence to push for calm in the Middle East.

The top US diplomat, who was visiting Saudi Arabia, had a "productive" one-hour telephone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

China has a warm relationship with Iran, whose clerical leadership supports both Hamas, and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group that could open a second front against Israel.

Wang for his part said that the United States should "play a constructive and responsible role, pushing the issue back on track for a political settlement as soon as possible," according to a readout published by the Chinese foreign ministry.

"The fundamental outlet for the Palestinian issue lies in implementing a 'two-state solution'," said Wang. China's official statements on the conflict have not specifically named Hamas in their condemnations of violence.