Ahead of a possible Iranian nuclear deal, there is increasing talk of a normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The media in Israel and elsewhere give information on this subject which remains surrounded by the greatest discretion.
With our correspondent in Jerusalem, Michael Paul
In just one month, US President Joe Biden will visit Jerusalem and probably Bethlehem as well. And it is in this perspective that American diplomacy is working to bring about a rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
According to the daily Yediot Aharonot, which publishes a series of articles on this subject, Washington organizes meetings between Israeli and Saudi personalities. The goal, according to the Israeli newspaper, is to set up a regional security axis that would allow coordination between Israel, Jordan, Egypt, the Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi investments in Israeli start-ups
According to the news site Axios, American diplomats are negotiating the application of an agreement to transfer the islands of Tiran and Sanafir in the Red Sea from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. The complete return of these two uninhabited islets is of capital strategic interest to Israel and would pave the way for Israeli-Saudi normalization.
And in the meantime, for the first time, according to the wall street journalRiyadh will publicly invest millions of dollars in Israeli start-ups.
►Also read : Israel allows its nationals to travel to Saudi Arabia (January 26, 2020)