(Un)official: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Saudi Arabia

(Patria) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Saudi Arabia to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was already in Riyadh, Western media reported, citing a member of the Israeli government cabinet.

The visit, without media announcement or coverage, on Sunday evening, represents the first official meeting between leaders of long-time enemies, which Israel has long advocated for to be accepted in the Middle East.

According to Israeli media, citing anonymous Israeli officials, Netanyahu was accompanied by Yossi Cohen, head of Mossad. The British Guardian writes that the prime minister's office did not respond to a request for comment, while Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud stated via Twitter that 'such a meeting did not take place'.

However, even if there was an agreement for the meeting to be held in secret – likely to avoid the Saudi leadership facing the anger and criticism of its pro-Palestinian population – information about the meeting having taken place was confirmed in Israel.

Yoav Galant, a member of Netanyahu's security cabinet and his Likud party, confirmed that the meeting took place – in person.

Netanyahu has long sought to create an image of a politician capable of advancing Israel's status and reputation in the region without concessions to the Palestinians (in return).

US Secretary of State also mentioned his visit to Saudi Arabia via Twitter: 'The US-Saudi relationship has been evolving since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz Al Saud laid the foundations of our cooperation 75 years ago.' He did not mention the visit of the Israeli delegation.

At the same time, Netanyahu's rival Benny Gantz, with whom he leads a coalition government, on Sunday appointed a committee to investigate the government's controversial purchase of German submarines for £1.5 billion. Several associates of Prime Minister Netanyahu, including his cousin, are suspected in the so-called 'Case 3,000', although Netanyahu himself is not officially suspected and denies any violation of the law.

Gantz left the opposition a few months ago to become Minister of Defense in a coalition government with Netanyahu, but their relationship remains turbulent. Despite this, Gantz supported the agreements that Netanyahu, with the help of American mediation, reached with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

While such an agreement still seems unattainable for Israel with regard to Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu's unofficial visit on Sunday marks a major diplomatic victory for Israel and the prime minister.

The official position of the Saudi kingdom, as well as the Arab League, is that relations with Israel can only be normalized if a firm agreement on Palestinian statehood is reached.

Nevertheless, relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel seem to be discreetly 'warming up' in recent years, attributed to the policies of Prince Mohammed (35), who is the de facto leader of the kingdom.  

Recall, after the visit of US President Donald Trump and his son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner to Riyadh last September, Saudi Arabia approved the use of its airspace for Israeli aircraft.

Before Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to Saudi Arabia, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Israel.

Washington hopes that other Arab countries will also agree to normalize relations with Israel. In addition to Sudan, Trump stated in October that other Arab governments had shown readiness to formalize relations.