US Calls For “Integrated Gulf Defence” Against Iran, Dangles Security Deal To Saudi For Israel Ties – News18

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called for tighter defence integration among Gulf states against the “acute and growing threat from Iran”. Blinken was speaking at a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh. The top US diplomat also said that Washington was close to finishing a security pact with Saudi Arabia if it normalises ties with Israel.”But then in order to move forward with normalisation, two things will be required — calm in Gaza and a credible pathway to a Palestinian state,” Blinken told a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, who met Blinken in Riyadh, also said that US-Saudi agreements were “very, very close”.”Most of the work has already been done,” he said. But he said that a pathway to a Palestinian state was “the only way it’s going to work”.Meanwhile, Blinken said Israel had offered Hamas a “generous” ceasefire deal. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron added that the deal included release of “potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners”, in return for the release of Israeli hostages” and a sustained 40 days ceasefire.