Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said Israel could become "a potential ally" if the conflict with the Palestinians is resolved, Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported on Thursday.
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"We look at Israel as a potential ally but before that it should solve its problems with the Palestinians," said Salman.
Jerusalem and Riyadh do not maintain official diplomatic relations but do share many regional interests, especially with respect to their mutual foe, Iran.
Over the years there have been reports suggesting extensive behind-the-scenes diplomatic and intelligence cooperation between the Gulf kingdom and the Jewish state, and Israeli officials have made it no secret that Israel would very much like to see Saudi Arabia join the historic Abraham Accords, as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates did.
The Saudis, however, have repeatedly said that such a move could only be pursued after the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ends.
Touching on the Iranian issue, Salman said in remarks to The Atlantic, carried by SPA, that the Islamic republic and Saudi Arabia "are neighbors. Neighbors forever. We cannot get rid of them, and they can't get rid of us. ... So it's better for both of us to work it out and to look for ways in which we can coexist.
"Hopefully, we can reach a position that's good for both countries and is going to create a brighter future for this country and Iran," he said.
Salman also said that the country could decrease investments in the United States. "In the same way we have the possibility of boosting our interests, we have the possibility of reducing them," he said, according to SPA.
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