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(Cairo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Sang-hoon = Israel hoped that US President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East, scheduled for next month, would boost its efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia.
According to the Associated Press on the 15th (local time), Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Rapids said at a press conference on the same day, “Everyone is paying attention to Saudi Arabia for various reasons these days. It seems to mean that there is a relationship between Saudi-Israel) and the possibility of improving relations.”
Israel has normalized relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan by signing the ‘Abraham Agreement’ through US arbitration in the past.
Since then, Israel has pursued improved relations with more Arab countries.
In this regard, Minister Rapid emphasized, “There is a list of countries that we hope to (relationship normalization). Saudi Arabia is the first among them.”
He said, “I don’t know if there are any plans for an Israeli official to board the US President’s plane to Saudi Arabia after his visit to Israel. But the US President’s plane is very big. There will be space.”
Saudi Arabia, the leader of Sunni Islam, and Israel, which claims to be a Jewish nation-state, do not have official diplomatic relations.
However, it is known that the two countries have gradually expanded their contacts in recent years.
In 2020, there were reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had secretly traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with the Crown Prince.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been taking a friendly gesture, such as opening airspace to Israeli airlines flying between Israel and countries in the Gulf region.
In addition, the two countries have in common that they are concerned about Iran’s support for militants in the Middle East and nuclear development, which is said to be the dominant Shiite group.
“Many countries in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia and Israel, are under the threat of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but nuclear competition is not beneficial to anyone,” Rapid said. said.
President Biden will visit Israel, Palestine, West Bank, and Saudi Arabia from the 13th to the 16th of next month.
meolakim@yna.co.kr
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