Jerusalem | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Saudi Arabia in secret on Sunday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), various Israeli media reported on Monday.
According to the Israeli press, Mr. Netanyahu was accompanied by Yossi Cohen, the head of Mossad, the Israeli external intelligence services, for this visit to NEOM, a futuristic city located in the north-west of Saudi Arabia, near Israel. .
Contacted by AFP, Netanyahu’s office made no immediate comment on what could be the first visit to Saudi Arabia by an Israeli prime minister.
No information was released by official Saudi media about the visit.
On the spot, Benjamin Netanyahu would also have spoken with the head of the American diplomacy Mike Pompeo who was well in Saudi Arabia and wrote on his Twitter account to have had “constructive” talks with Mohammed ben Salman at NEOM.
“Our security and economic partnership is strong and we will continue to develop it in order to counter the harmful influence of Iran in the region,” added Mr. Pompeo, who has been touring the Middle East in recent days. during which he visited Israel.
Israel has announced in recent months agreements to normalize its relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, but also Sudan, under the sponsorship of the United States of President Donald Trump, a key ally of Mr. Netanyahu who is due to step down. , like Mr. Pompeo, in January.
US and Israeli officials spoke of other upcoming deals with Arab countries.
Saudi Arabia is also often cited by analysts as a country that could normalize its relations with Israel, just like Oman, the Gulf monarchy where Mr. Netanyahu has already visited.