On Sunday night, while in a restaurant in Riyadh, a local young man sitting next to me asked me from where I was. "Israel," I replied. He laughed, and moved on. Shortly before leaving, he looked at me again and asked, "Israel, really?" I said "yes," to which he replied, "Wow, welcome. We welcome everyone here happily, from all religions."
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Saudi Arabia was a pleasant surprise. Friendly. Happy. Not even mentioning Israel brought anyone down. I tested this on several cab drivers and market vendors. Some smiled and shook their head in disbelief or worry, others were curious and struck up a conversation. I wondered if any of them had ever met an Israeli before, or heard Hebrew, but no one made us feel unwelcome in the kingdom, home to the holiest sites of Islam, not even for a moment.
US President Joe Biden's visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia will not lead to formal ties between the two nations. Biden will travel to Saudi Arabia next Friday, after having visited Israel. In the resort city of Jeddah, he will meet with all the leaders of the Gulf states and several other prominent Arab leaders, but more importantly, he will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, effectively ending the boycott he had imposed on him after the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Biden wants Riyadh to increase the amount of oil it produces so that it could lower its prices, but will also try to promote normalization with Israel. As such, he will try to have Israeli representatives accompany him on his visit to the kingdom, although the matter is not yet final.
Everyone involved in the matter says that Israeli-Saudi ties will warm slowly, step by step, over an extended period of time. But my visit to Riyadh shows the profound change Saudi Arabia is experiencing at this time.
It is moving from being a very conservative regime, which characterized the sons of Saudi Arabia's founding father, Ibn Saud, who passed on the power between them (the youngest of whom, Salman, is king now) to slowly embracing the West under his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
A photo of the two, the king and his son, can be seen all across Riyadh. The kingdom is gearing toward the change of government, which carries a message for Israel as well: going from distant and cautious ties under the previous government to increased cooperation in a variety of areas.
During his visit, Biden will focus on the regional rocket defense program, but other Israeli companies – technological and other – are already operating here, in various ways.
Quite a few Israelis have visited Saudi Arabia in the last few years, mostly defense officials led by the Mossad. Everything was done in complete secret, usually using private jets. But recently, Saudi Arabia has begun to gradually open its doors to Israelis who hold foreign passports, especially business people.
Although it might take a while before we see groups of Israeli tourists flood the streets of Saudi Arabia, the process is what counts. Soon, Israeli companies will be able to fly east over Saudi Arabia, and perhaps next, launch direct flights to Mecca, for pilgrims.
Religion is evident everywhere in Riyadh. In clothing, of course, with men and women dressed in modest attires. Alcohol is out of the question, as it is not even served in hotels and on Saudia airlines flights.
The mosques are full of worshippers, and prayers can be heard from the street. Just before takeoff, after the security procedures, a recording of the Muslim road prayer is sound on the place.
Saudi Arabia is less touristy than other Gulf states, such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. It does not have many foreigners, except for low-wage workers, mostly from the Far East, who can be seen everywhere, cleaning shopping centers, bagging groceries in supermarkets, and working in construction.
Although Riyadh has all the Western brands, including the most high-end ones, the streets mostly have standard cards and people are simple. This is due, among other things, to the equal distribution of wealth, which is contrary to the UAE and Qatar, where only the few enjoy wealth. This will also be the crown prince's main challenge: to give the entire people a sense of belonging.
The last few days Riyadh has been incredibly hot, over 40°C (104°F). Most residents live in air-conditioned homes, but life is vibrant outdoors too: the markets are crowded, especially in the late hours of the day.
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Saudi Arabia also has all the best goodies, from gallabias, sandals and perfume to spices gold, and traditional knives, and all at relatively cheap prices.
In general, Saudi Arabia is surprisingly cheap: fruit and vegetables are twice less expensive than in Israel (including supermarkets), clothes are 25% cheaper (including brands), and gas is 2 shekels cheaper on the liter (the global fuel crisis seems to have evaded Saudi Arabia).
Most likely, more Israelis will travel here in the future. Some for business, others out of curiosity. Either way, they will discver a country much less threatening than imagined. The opposite, actually: Saudi Arabia is very pleasant and the atmosphere is relaxed.
It is doubtful whether Saudi Arabia will become a popular destination for Israeli tourist, but the change in Israeli-Saudi ties is a historic event that one just cannot help but be excited about. If Israel exhibits uncharacteristic patience and understanding that such processes take time, there is infinite potential for the ties between the two countries.
