White House praises Saudi decision to open air space to all carriers
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a news conference at the White House on Monday. Photo: Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Biden administration welcomed Saudi Arabia's move to open its airspace to all civilian carriers, including flights to and from Israel on Thursday.
What they're saying: "This decision paves the way for a more integrated, stable, and secure Middle East region, which is vital for the security and prosperity of the United States and the American people, and for the security and prosperity of Israel," said national security adviser Jake Sullivan in a statement.
The big picture: The decision is part of a deal that the U.S. has been quietly negotiating for months designed to pave the way for Saudi Arabia to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel, Axios from Tel Aviv author Barak Ravid reports.
Meanwhile, the Israeli government approved the parameters of an agreement around two strategic Red Sea islands, per Ravid.