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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew in a private jet to the Saudi city of Neom and secretly met with Prince Mohammed bin Salman. After the news came out, there was a lot of noise. The question also arises as to whether that meeting actually took place. Saudi Arabia has already denied the news. “No such meeting has taken place,” Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud said in a tweet.
Netanyahu declined to comment. But he says he is working to “widen the circle of peace.”
There has been talk of normalizing relations and the Iran question
In an interview with Israel Army Radio, the country’s education minister, Yoav Galant, apparently confirmed the news of the meeting. He said the meeting between Netanyahu and Prince Mohammed was a great achievement. But similar news comes not only from the Israeli media but also from other sources.
In particular, the US Wall Street Journal cited a “Saudi adviser” who did not want to be identified as an indication of what was discussed at the prince’s meeting with Netanyahu.
A senior Saudi adviser confirmed the meeting between Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the Wall Street Journal reported. He said the secret meeting focused on normalizing relations between the two countries and the Iran issue. However, there was no consensus. The meeting was also attended by the Secretary of State of the United States, Mike Pompeo.
Top Secret Meeting
The meeting was held in such secrecy that Israel’s Prime Minister and Alternate Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabby Ashkenazi were not informed.
The plane, which was carrying Netanyahu from Israel and Yossi Cohen, head of the Mossad spy agency, took off from Tel Aviv at 7:30 pm on Sunday. The plane landed for about two hours after landing at the airport in the city of Nyom, on the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. Then, at midnight, he returns to Israel again.
The T-7 CPX is owned by Israeli businessman Udi Angel. Netanyahu has flown more than once to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
An Israeli journalist noted from flight tracking data that a plane used by Netanyahu had flown directly from Israel to the Saudi city of Niamey. The news first spread through him.
A Middle Eastern intelligence source told the Washington Post that very few people knew about the meeting.
Does everyone want to keep it a secret?
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has denied such a meeting. He said that no one other than US and Saudi officials were present at the meeting during Mike Pompeo’s visit.
He said in a recent interview that Saudi Arabia supports the normalization of relations with Israel. But before that, there must be a comprehensive and lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also tweeted about his meeting with the Saudi prince. However, an MBS meeting with the Israeli leader was not mentioned.
The BBC’s Liz Dusset reports that senior Saudi officials have denied the allegations.
Saudi Arabia and Israel have historically been enemies. However, Middle Eastern sources assure that secret contacts have been known between the two countries at different times. However, this is the first time such a high-level leader has met.
So why this meeting? One reason, of course, is the political and strategic realities in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and its allies have viewed Iran as a major threat since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Just as there is a Shiite-Sunni conflict behind it, several Arab countries ruled by royalty see Iran and its support groups as a threat to them. As a result, one of the strategic goals of Saudi Arabia and its allies is to prevent Iran’s influence in the region from increasing. And Israel views the country as a great threat because of its tough anti-Israel policy and especially its nuclear program.
As a result, Iran is now the common adversary of Saudi Arabia, its allies, and Israel. Ever since the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain normalized relations with Israel, it has been speculated that Riyadh could announce a rapprochement with Israel.
Saul Yanai, a Middle East expert at the Hebrew University, says Netanyahu is a seasoned diplomat. Israel may have leaked the news of the meeting after receiving the green signal. They want everyone to know the news.
Message for Joe Biden?
The Washington Post quoted a Middle East intelligence official as saying the meeting was a signal to the Biden administration that the field was now ready to improve relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
In a Washington Post article, analyst Henry Olsen says that while everyone denies the news of Netanyahu and Prince Mohammed’s meeting, it is in keeping with the recent winds of old hostile relations in the Middle East.
He described it as “the anti-Iranian alliance of Israel and the Gulf monarchies.” This could have a significant impact on what America’s policy in the Middle East will be after Joe Biden becomes president.
Analyst Henry Olsen said Saudi Arabia and the Gulf monarchies were upset by the nuclear deal between Iran and President Barack Obama’s superpowers.
Donald Trump pulled the United States out of that deal, but now that Joe Biden is president, American policy could change again.
Analyst Henry Olsen says it is in this context that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf monarchies can look for an ally capable of dealing with the Iranian threat. Israel is believed to have nuclear weapons and the Netanyahu government is declared anti-Iranian. Source: BBC.
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