Blinken arrives in Saudi Arabia on renewed quest for Israel ties

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday as he renews his bid to broker diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

"There remains, despite everything that's happened, an incredible opportunity in this region to move in a totally different direction," he said before leaving Tel Aviv.

Blinken is set to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.

The meeting is one of many Blinken will have with Arab officials in the next few days as the U.S. struggles to achieve some sort of progress just two weeks before the presidential election and in the final stretch of President Joe Biden’s administration.

The two are expected to discuss the growing concerns over humanitarian aide for Gaza as well as a post-war plan for Palestinians.

Blinken will meet Arab counterparts in London on Friday on the Gaza and Lebanon wars, the State Department said.

Blinken will meet Arab foreign ministers in the British capital after talks Thursday in Qatar, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters as Blinken flew from Israel to Saudi Arabia.