Netanyahu visits Saudi Arabia for secret talks with Bin Salman

Israeli media outlets reported that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Saudi Arabia on Sunday to hold secret talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in the presence of US States Secretary Mike Pompeo.

“Yedioth Ahronoth” newspaper said on Monday that a private jet took off from Ben Gurion Airport carrying Netanyahu and Chief of the Israeli Spy Agency Mossad  Yusi Cohen to the Saudi sea resort of Neom city where they met Bin Salman in the presence of Pompeo.

The newspaper stated that Netanyahu had previously used the plane in the past, referring to a similar visit by the Israeli Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia in October last year.

 The Israeli website (i24 News) also stated that a Saudi source confirmed Netanyahu’s visit, revealing that the Israeli occupation government was due to hold a meeting Sunday evening, but the meeting was postponed until Monday because of Netanyahu’s trip to Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu’s visit to Saudi Arabia and his meeting with bin Salman were also confirmed by the Israeli Minister Yoav Galant, according to Reuters. The visit came a day after Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan affirmed to Reuters that Saudi Arabia supports full normalization with Israel, “but first a permanent and complete peace agreement, that guarantees a Palestinian state, must be reached.

Hamda Mustafa