US Calls For "Integrated Gulf Defence" Against Iran, Dangles Security Deal To Saudi For Israel Ties

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.