Israeli Intelligence Minister Wants Saudi Crown Prince to Visit Tel Aviv

Rasa - Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz wants Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit Tel Aviv, as Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have official relations but various reports have recently emerged of co-operation between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

News ID: 435334

Date: 14 December 2017 - 23:12

RNA - Katz told Saudi news website Elaph on Wednesday that Israel would be happy to host the influential crown prince amid rumours of rapprochement between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

"He said that he asks the king to invite [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu officially to Riyadh, and he asks MBS, Mohammed bin Salman, the son, to come and visit Israel," the minister's spokesman, Arye Shalicar, said.

Katz's request is aimed at bolstering regional peace and boosting security and economic cooperation, Shalicar added.

In recent years, there have been numerous reports of behind-the-scenes contacts between Riyadh and Tel Aviv, despite the fact that Saudi Arabia, along with other Arab League states, does not formally recognize the occupying entity.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has also reiterated the Kingdom's stated commitment to a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

But, according to Arab News, Saudi Arabia last week ordered media outlets in the kingdom to not focus "too much attention" on US President Donald Trump's controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

In November, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz revealed for the first time that Tel Aviv has had covert contacts with Saudi Arabia.

Furthermore, Israeli Communications Minister Ayoub Kara extended a warm invitation to Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh to visit Israel for what he said were his friendly comments about the kingdom.

The Israeli minister of military affairs has also recently extended the hand of friendship to Arab countries, calling on them to form an alliance against Iran.

Affected by succession plans and the failure of its aggressive policies, the Riyadh regime has engaged in a process of normalizing relations with Israel.

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