US supportive of Saudis appointing envoy to Palestinians

Addressing the monthly Security Council session on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield acknowledges Saudi Arabia’s recent appointment of a non-resident consul general in Jerusalem.

The appointment was seen as part of a concerted effort by Riyadh to deepen its engagement with the Palestinians as it engages in talks with the Biden administration about a potential normalization deal with Israel.

Saudi Arabia is expected to demand Israel take significant steps to advance a two-state solution in order to get a normalization deal across the finish line, though it seems unlikely that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current hardline government would agree to take such measures.

“We stand ready to be supportive of any and all efforts that will bring us closer to a two-state solution,” Thomas-Greenfield says, keeping her comments vague on the matter.