[Saudi Envoy to Palestine, Nayef Al-Sudairi, presented his credentials to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday September 26, 2023.]
Riyadh/Ramallah: In the latest publicly announced visit, an Israeli Minister visited Saudi Arabia incidentally on the very day the Kingdom’s First Envoy to Palestine Takes Charge Tuesday September 26, 2023.
Israel's Tourism Minister Haim Katz arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday in the first official trip by an Israeli cabinet member to the Kingdom to attend UN Tourism Conference, according to his office.
Earlier on September 12, 2023, an Israeli delegation led by a top official had visited the Kingdom to attend UNESCO World Heritage Conference held in its capital Riyadh.
On several occasions in the past secret visits by Israeli officials, including one even by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nenatyahu, had appeared in the media. But, like this time, the Saudi government did not confirm or deny these visits.
Notably, Haim Katz’s visit to Saudi Arabia coincided with the arrival of the first Saudi Ambassador to Palestine, Nayef al-Sudairi, in the West Bank on the same day i.e. Tuesday September 26, 2023.
After arriving in West Bank on Tuesday through the Karama crossing from Jordan, Al-Sudairi presented his credentials to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Israeli Tourism Minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia comes about a week after its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while addressing the United Nations General Assembly 78th Session in New York claimed that the two countries are at “the cusp of announcing diplomatic ties”.
Saudi Arabia did not comment on the claims made by Netanyahu.
However, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in an interview with Fox News, the American TV channel, broadcasted on September 21, 2023 had said that the two countries are "coming closer” with every passing day.
At the same time, bin Salman also said that the resolution of the Palestinian issue is a key point while finalising diplomatic ties between the two countries.
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