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US President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman earlier this week in what was the first meeting between the de-facto Saudi ruler and a member of the incoming Trump administration, Axios revealed on Saturday.

Citing two anonymous sources, the US-based news outlet said that the pair discussed US-Saudi relations, Israel's war on Gaza and plans to forge a normalisation deal between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

Witkoff, a close confidant of Trump, has been tasked with the "clear aim" of securing a deal between the two US allies and making progress towards a Israel-Palestine peace agreement, according to Axios.

Speaking to Time earlier this week, the incoming president said he wants to secure a "lasting peace" in the Middle East.

"I'm not saying that's a very likely scenario ... I want a peace where we don't have an October 7 in another three years. You can do it two state, but there are numerous ways it can be done. I'd like to see everybody be happy," Trump said.

Trump's previous administration broke with decades of US diplomatic convention by recognising Israel's claim over Jerusalem as its capital and moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the historic city. The move involved shuttering Washington's Jerusalem consulate, which acted as its de-facto embassy to the Palestinians.

Trump also oversaw the brokering of the so-called 'Abraham Accords' normalisation deals between Israel and a handful of Arab states, including the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan.

The Biden administration has attempted to continue the push for normalisation, particularly between Israel and Saudi Arabia, however is unlikely to secure an agreement before Trump's takeover in January.

Amid Israel's current onslaught on Gaza, Saudi Arabia has reiterated its openness for a normalisation deal, however has emphasised that a path to Palestinian statehood must be secured.

Witkoff's meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed followed a visit to the UAE, where the Trump envoy met with Emirati National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, the two Axios sources said. 

Trump adviser and son-in-law Massad Boulos was also in the region this week for meetings with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whilt another source said Boulos met with Jordan's King Abdullah II.

On the same day, Boulos and Witkoff met in Washington with Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, an Israeli source said.