Officials in Jerusalem and Riyadh are maintaining direct bilateral ties, a senior diplomatic official told Israel Hayom. "With the exception of the Iranians, we are talking to almost everyone in the region, including with Saudi Arabia," they said.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Two senior advisers to US President Joe Biden – Middle East envoy Brett McGurk and former Israeli and now US energy adviser Amos Hochstein – visited Riyadh over the last week, according to an Axios report. According to the report, the two spoke with the Saudis about the transfer of the Egyptian Red Sea islands Tiran and Snapir to Saudi Arabia.
Negotiations over the islands have been complicated by the fact that according to the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, such a transfer would require Israeli approval. Egypt agreed to relinquish the unpopulated islands in return for Saudi financial aid. The islands are of strategic importance as they control entry to the Eilat Gulf.
According to Axios, the American emissaries also discussed promoting the normalization of ties between Riyadh and Jerusalem.
In yet another report alluding to improving Jerusalem-Riyadh ties, Israel financial newspaper Globes reported last week that Saudi Arabia had begun to allow Israeli businesspeople to enter its territory on Israeli passports. Dozens of Israelis have taken advantage of this change thus far, the paper said, noting they had traveled to Neom, the futuristic Saudi "smart" city being built on the shores of the Red Sea. During their visit, deals worth millions of dollars were signed in the fields of high-tech, water technology, and agriculture were signed.
Channel 12 News, meanwhile, reported that a "very senior" Israeli official recently visited Saudi Arabia to discuss cooperation in a number of fields, including security. Saudi officials hosted the senior Israeli figure in the royal palace on their visit.
Jerusalem and Riyadh are aligned on a series of issues, chief among them Iran's nuclear project, which threatens both states. Saudi Arabia's military is engaged in fighting against Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen, who control a large portion of the territory and occasionally launch attacks on Saudi Arabia. The Israeli security establishment is following Iran's efforts to establish itself in Yemen with the assumption it will allow the country to serve as another launchpad for attacks on Israel.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
