The leader of the Machane HaMamlachti, Benny Gantz, met last night in the United States (Wednesday) with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, following a flight without prior notification sent to the media.
According to his office's statement: "The two discussed advancing Israel's vital security interests, expanding its integration in the region, and addressing the Iranian threat, as well as Iran's proxies in the Middle East."
The background to the meeting is the United States' efforts to also obtain agreement from Israeli opposition leaders on the details of an agreement with Saudi Arabia, including its security aspects.
The meeting takes place during the official visit of the Israeli delegation led by Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi, which arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The delegation includes 14 members, among them the chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee, David Bitan, the Director-General and Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Communications, the Minister's Chief of Staff and spokesperson, the Foreign Relations Director, representatives from the Postal Service, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The delegation, which was accredited by a signed letter from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, is participating in an international conference held in Riyadh over the past two days. Members of the delegation also met with representatives from around the world during the conference.
During the visit, Karhi also delivered a speech at the UPU conference in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, discussing the importance of communication services between countries in the region. In his speech, delivered in Arabic in front of representatives and heads of delegations, the minister said, "Advanced communication services between countries will also connect people and cultures." This marks the first time in history that an Israeli minister has spoken in the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Last week, Minister of Tourism Haim Katz also visited Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, as part of the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) conference. He is the first Israeli minister to lead an official delegation to the kingdom.