By AFP – Agence France Presse
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Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Jordan’s King Abdullah II held talks Tuesday on efforts to halt fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, the Saudi foreign ministry said.
The pair held discussions “related to the security and stability of the region, including efforts made to stop the ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and reduce escalation,” the ministry said in a statement as the Jordanian ruler visited the Saudi capital Riyadh.
The meeting between the two Arab leaders comes amid a US diplomatic push through the region as war rages with Israel in both Gaza and Lebanon.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due in Jordan on Wednesday to discuss humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian territory following Tuesday meetings in Israel aimed at progress towards an elusive truce in Gaza.
The royal palace in Jordan said the Saudi and Jordanian leaders emphasised “the need to intensify efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, and to reduce the escalation in the region”.
Saudi Arabia’s official SPA news agency said the two leaders had also voiced their support for the Palestinian and Lebanese people and “would continue to provide humanitarian aid to alleviate their suffering”.
On Monday, US envoy to Lebanon Amos Hochstein said Washington was seeking an end to the war in Lebanon “as soon as possible” as he pushed for a ceasefire in Beirut.
After over a year of war against Hamas in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, Israel shifted its focus to Hezbollah in Lebanon in September, ramping up strikes on the Iran-backed group’s strongholds around the country and sending in ground troops at the end of last month.
One week ago, the Saudi prince travelled to Cairo, where he also discussed measures for de-escalation in Gaza and Lebanon with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
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