US said to hold undisclosed talks with Gantz, Bennett over Saudi normalization

12 September 2023, 7:27 pm Edit

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (R), Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (C) and Defense Minister Benny Gantz (L) during a Knesset discussion on a bill to renew the application of some Israeli law to settlers, June 6, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf held undisclosed meetings with former prime minister Naftali Bennett and opposition party leader Benny Gantz in recent days, Channel 12 reports.

According to the reports the talks focused on the normalization deal the US is trying to mediate with Saudi Arabia, among other regional issues.

Sources familiar with the talks tell Channel 12 that the US was trying to gauge Israel’s redlines, beyond what has been conveyed by the Netanyahu government.

US officials have in recent weeks also met with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid.

Lapid told the Americans he was vehemently opposed to allowing Saudi Arabia to carry out any nuclear enrichment on its soil.

The report said Gantz and Bennett were believed to have also highlighted the dangers of a regional nuclear race if the Saudis had their own program.