In light of the particularly strong condemnation issued by Saudi Arabia following the ascension of hundreds of Jews to the Temple Mount during Rosh Hashanah, the US administration is responding to reports about Saudi Arabia's intention to slow down the pace of normalization talks with Israel.
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The State Department's Near East Division wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that "the United States remains committed to promoting Israel's regional integration, including through active diplomacy aimed at Israeli-Saudi normalization. Talks are ongoing, and we look forward to further talks with both sides."
An official statement issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry called it "an invasion of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremists under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces," a violation of conventions and "provoking the feelings of Muslims around the world." In addition, the Saudi Foreign Ministry blamed Israel for the consequences of Jewish immigration to the Temple Mount and demanded that the international community act to end the "escalation of the Israeli occupation."
The United States remains committed to furthering Israel's regional integration, including through active diplomacy aimed at Israel-Saudi normalization. Talks are ongoing, and we look forward to further conversations with both parties.
— U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs (@StateDept_NEA) September 18, 2023Did we get it wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us