Secret Netanyahu visit to Saudi Arabia boosts Israeli hopes of ‘Abraham Accord’ with Gulf state

THE Israeli prime minister reportedly made an unprecedented clandestine visit to Saudi Arabia on Sunday evening, fuelling speculation that the Gulf state might be the next to normalise relations with Tel Aviv.

Israeli media and The Wall Street Journal reported that Benjamin Netanyahu met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well as Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State.

If true, it is believed to be the first meeting between the two leaders, whose countries have historically hostile relations.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-saud, the Saudi foreign minister, yesterday denied reports that Mr Netanyahu was in the meeting, saying “the only officials present were American and Saudi”. But a senior Saudi adviser told The Wall Street Journal that he was present, with several issues, including normalisation of ties and Iran, discussed but no formal agreements reached.

Yossi Cohen, the head of Israeli spy agency Mossad, reportedly accompanied Mr Netanyahu on the trip. Mr Cohen has been a key figure in other normalisation deals struck this year, which have become known as the Abraham Accords. Whispers that Saudi Arabia could be considering normalising ties with Israel have been circulating for weeks. The Trump administration has been pushing Arab states to establish formal relations with Israel as part of their efforts to isolate Iran.

The UAE, Bahrain and Sudan have already signed up, but a deal with Saudi Arabia, which has so far been out of reach because of their long-standing support for Palestinian statehood, would be the crowning achievement.

Insiders believe that the Saudi crown prince may be more open to the idea than King Salman, given his personal friendship with Jared Kushner, Mr Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser.

Saudi Arabia announced the approval for Israeli flights to the UAE to use its airspace in September.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister indicated over the weekend that normalisation would not c o me without conditions, however. “One very important thing must happen first: a permanent and full peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians,” Mr Farhan Saud told Reuters during the virtual G20 summit hosted by the country.

The Israeli prime minister’s office and Saudi Arabia officials did not respond to requests for comment.