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The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry denies the meeting, which was reported by Israeli media, between bin Salman and Israeli officials, in the city of Neom, Saudi Arabia. While the Israeli channel “Kan” confirms the meeting.
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The Saudi Foreign Ministry denies and the Israeli media confirm the meeting between Netanyahu and Bin Salman
Today, Monday, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan denied the news of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s meeting with Israeli officials.
Ben Farhan indicated through a tweet on “Twitter” that he had seen press reports about an “alleged” meeting between the crown prince and Israeli officials, during the visit of the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to Saudi Arabia in the last days.
I have seen press reports about an alleged meeting between HRH the Crown Prince and Israeli officials during the recent visit of @SecPompeo. There was no such meeting. The only officials present were Americans and Saudis.
– Faisal bin Farhan (@FaisalbinFarhan) November 23, 2020
He stressed that “no such meeting was held,” noting that the only officials present were Americans and Saudis.
This comes after Israeli army radio revealed a meeting held in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, which included Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, in the presence of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Israeli media quoted a Saudi source as telling the “Wall Street Journal” that discussion during the meeting focused on the Iranian dossier and the issue of normalization, and that no meaningful understanding was reached.
The political affairs editor of the Israeli channel “Makan”, Shimon Aran, indicated that an Israeli source, who declined to be named, previously said that the meeting took place in the Saudi city of Neom, and that the Mossad chief , Yossi Cohen, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attended the meeting, but the Prime Minister’s Office has yet to comment on the visit.
For his part, the Arab affairs correspondent for Israeli “Channel 13” said: “Saudi Arabia was expected to deny that the meeting between Netanyahu and Bin Salman had taken place. It is not comfortable for the Saudis to have the matter so openly.”
The journalist added: “It must be said that secret meetings between Israelis and Saudis are an existing affair, and it is possible to assume that the head of Mossad and others visited Saudi Arabia.”
He added: “This is an indication to Iran above all that the Israelis, Americans, Saudis and the Gulf states are joining forces against the Iranian threat, and it is also an indication to the administration of President-elect Joe Biden that the train of normalization will also continue during his reign. “
He noted that “those looking for signs of progress in normalization despite the end of the Trump era will find them in the statements of Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan last Saturday, as he said he supports full normalization with Israel.”
He added: “I spoke with the Saudis and they are all sure that the supreme interest of Saudi Arabia is to strengthen the relationship with Israel and the United States against Iran.”
In the context, the alternate prime minister Benny Gantz considered that the leak of the news of the meeting implies “irresponsibility”.
For its part, the Israeli website Channel Seven spoke of “a secret flight to Saudi Arabia that took off yesterday Sunday from Ben Gurion airport to Saudi Arabia, and remained 4 hours to be exact, at the time when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was meeting with the Saudi crown prince. “
He also said that “the private plane that took off yesterday from Ben Gurion airport to the coastal city of Neom in Saudi Arabia and returned overnight to” Israel “was previously used by Netanyahu in the past.”
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