US' Sullivan to visit Israel for talks on Gaza cease-fire, regional issues

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Israel this week to discuss key issues, including cease-fire efforts in Gaza, developments in Syria, and the situation in Lebanon, his spokesperson announced Monday.

"Sullivan is traveling to Israel this week to meet with Israeli officials as part of our close consultations on a range of important issues including efforts to reach a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza, the latest developments in Syria, and for discussions about Lebanon and Iran," National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement.

Sullivan's planned visit also comes after a cease-fire agreement agreed between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Last month, President Joe Biden announced that the US will make "another push" with Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a cease-fire and hostage exchange deal in the Palestinian enclave.

"Just as the Lebanese people deserve a future of security and prosperity, so do the people of Gaza. They too deserve an end to the fighting and displacement," Biden said on Nov. 26.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his army on Sunday to capture the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, an area under Tel Aviv's occupation for decades.

Images released by the Israeli military showed soldiers and armored vehicles in the buffer zone, further consolidating Israel's hold on the region.

Assad fled Syria to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of the capital Damascus early Sunday, marking the collapse of the Baath Party regime, which had been in power in Syria since 1963.

*Michael Hernandez contributed to the story