US Secretary of State Blinken meets Saudi Crown Prince MBS in Riyadh

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on Sunday, during his Middle East crisis tour.

The top US diplomat met the Saudi Crown Prince in Riyadh in a critical diplomatic engagement as Israel prepared to launch a ground assault in the Gaza Strip, while Washington is apparently working to contain the conflict.

Blinken termed the meeting “very productive,” as he replied to a question from a reporter as he returned to the hotel where the US delegation was staying.

As reported, the meeting lasted for just under an hour and took place at the Crown Prince’s private farm residence.

“The Secretary highlighted the United States’ unwavering focus on halting terrorist attacks by Hamas, securing the release of all hostages, and preventing the conflict from spreading,” the State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

“The two affirmed their shared commitment to protecting civilians and to advancing stability across the Middle East and beyond,” Miller added.

A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed “categorical rejection” of the forced displacement of Palestinians and urged the international community to intervene to prevent further military escalation.

The Saudi statement arrived on Friday, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Riyadh as part of a six-nation tour of Arab countries.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms its categorical rejection of calls for the forced displacement of the Palestinian people from Gaza, and its condemnation of the continued targeting of defenseless civilians there,” a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.

Saudi Arabia has also suspended talks on potentially normalizing ties with Israel due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

“Saudi Arabia has decided to pause discussion on possible normalization and has informed US officials,” a source familiar with the discussions told AFP.