As U.S. President Joe Biden works to reset relations between the two nations, Jake Sullivan is set to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. In Saudi Arabia, the talks with the kingdom’s de facto ruler are expected to focus on “bilateral and regional issues, including the war in Gaza,” as well as “ongoing efforts to achieve a lasting peace and security in the region,” Kirby said. With Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials, Biden’s envoy is also set to discuss the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, “including efforts to secure the release of all hostages [held in Gaza] and address the humanitarian crisis.” The meeting will also cover the shared US-Israeli goal of “degrading Hamas over the long term, both through military pressure and political engagement,” Kirby said. Brokering a normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, similar to deals it has struck with other Arab nations, is a major diplomatic goal for the US president. But Saudi Arabia has demanded security guarantees, which the US has said it is prepared to provide, and has also called for the creation of a Palestinian state, something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted. Read Also: West “profits from war” and “no longer defends human rights” (Portuguese version)