Saudi Arabia: Israel’s intelligence and transportation minister Yisrael Katz asked King Salman to invite Prime Minister Netanyahu to Riyadh and to send newly appointed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Tel Aviv in return.
“I call upon Salman, the King of Saudi, to invite the prime minister of Israel Netanyahu to visit Saudi Arabia,” Katz said, at the annual gathering of Israeli political leaders and strategists.
“We saw what a wonderful host you can be … when President Trump was there. You can also send your heir, the new one, Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He’s a dynamic person. He is an initiator. And he wants to break through.
“Exactly this way … they know who Iran is. They know we have to create an access vis-a-vis Iran. You can send him for a meeting in Israel and I promise you, he’s going to be a very welcome guest.”
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has also called for the establishment of “full diplomatic and economic relations” between Arab countries and the Jewish state.
He said a peace deal must be reached with “moderate Arab Sunni countries” before a peace agreement could be made with the Palestinians.
He added. “The only light at the end of the tunnel is a complete regional agreement.” The hard-right defense minister added: “Full diplomatic and economic relations. Not under the table, but on the table.”
“I saw research on what the result of a regional agreement and full economic relations would mean between Israel, the Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia. This would mean an additional revenue of $45bn for Israel. That’s the potential. We have to clearly say what our priorities are.”
Saudi Arabia has refused to recognise Israel since its inception in 1948 and has supported Palestinian rights to sovereignty over territory occupied by Israel since 1967. Both countries see Iran as a strategic threat and Israel has also been supportive of a blockade of Qatar led by Saudi Arabia.