Middle East Peace Process

Sources tell Reuters talks focus on security matters as Damascus seeks regional assistance.

Israel Hayom has exclusively learned that one of the key agenda items addresses mounting concerns over the expanding presence of Egyptian military forces in Sinai, which violates the security annex of the 1979 peace agreement.

The focus on economic development and societal modernization has shifted Saudi priorities regarding regional conflicts.

With regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Faisal bin Farhan al Saud says that "establishment of a Palestinian state is tied to principles of international law, not recognition by Israel."

The kingdom's ambassador to the US, Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, took part in the MEAD conference. The audience included numerous Israelis, among them official representatives, as well as high-ranking Americans.

"Currently, we're all in a holding pattern," a high-ranking Gulf official tells Israel Hayom. "We're closely monitoring the Israel-Lebanon border, wary of potential conflict escalation. We're also navigating the uncertainties within the US administration, the upcoming presidential elections, and the political instability in Israel.

Foreign Ministry calls the map depiction an "unintentional mistake" and "technical error." Israel recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the region just over a year ago in a letter from Netanyahu himself to King Mohammed VI.

With an eye on the US political calendar, the Saudis want to move in the next couple of weeks, hoping to generate bipartisan support in the Senate before the November election. The New York Times reports that if Trump reclaims the presidency, the chances of Democrats in the Senate voting for a deal with Saudi Arabia could vanish. סעודי

A political source tells Israel Hayom that there is a window of opportunity until May to secure the historic agreement.