US national security advisor, Mossad chief meet in Washington

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Mossad Chief David Barnea in Washington, the White House confirmed Thursday.

A National Security Council spokeswoman confirmed to Anadolu Agency that Sullivan met Wednesday with Barnea for what she described as a "pre-scheduled visit." The officials discussed "a range of global and regional issues," she added.

"We appreciate our close consultations, as always, with him and other senior Israeli officials," she said in a statement.

The meeting comes as talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal world powers struck with Iran appear to falter with Washington placing the onus on Tehran for taking a position on a EU-sponsored draft text that the US maintains set talks backward. Senior western officials had previously voiced optimism that a deal was within reach.

The US is working on its formal response to the Iranians, the State Department said Tuesday.

Israel has been a staunch critic of the ongoing negotiations and has vocally broken with US President Joe Biden's efforts to revive the accord.

Israel has also rebutted US requests to revise its rules of engagement after its forces killed Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank during a May 11 raid.

"No one will dictate our rules of engagement to us when we are fighting for our lives," Prime Minister Yair Lapid said Wednesday at a military graduation ceremony.

Lapid further continued to shoot down suggestions that the Israeli soldier who fired the fatal shot face prosecution.

State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said Tuesday that the Biden administration continues "to press Israeli partners to closely review its policies and practices on rules of engagement and consider additional steps to mitigate the risks of civilian harm, protect journalists, and prevent similar tragedies in the future."

The Israeli army said Monday that there was a "high possibility" that the Palestinian journalist was killed by gunfire from an Israeli soldier shooting at Palestinian gunmen during clashes.