First in history, Israeli tourism minister visits Saudi indicating normalization of ties
text_fields
Riyadh: In an unprecedented diplomatic development, the Israeli Minister of Tourism, Haim Katz, arrived in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday, September 26, marking the first public visit by an Israeli minister to the Kingdom.
The visit coincides with a historic move towards normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, marking a significant step towards enhanced regional cooperation.
Minister Katz's visit to Saudi Arabia is set to span two days, during which he will participate in the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) conference. This visit includes engagement in various events and discussions at the conference, as well as meetings with ministers from several Middle Eastern nations.
In a statement, Minister Katz highlighted the importance of tourism as a bridge between peoples, capable of fostering goodwill and economic prosperity. He expressed his commitment to establishing cooperation that would not only boost tourism but also strengthen Israel's foreign relations.
Katz stated, "Tourism forms a bridge between peoples and has the ability to win hearts and encourage economic prosperity. I will work to establish cooperation to enhance tourism and Israel’s foreign relations."
This historic visit takes place amidst other noteworthy diplomatic moves. Just a day earlier, Saudi Arabia sent its first delegation to the occupied West Bank in three decades.
Nayef Al Sudairi, who was appointed as a non-resident ambassador to Palestine in August, held talks with senior officials, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. This gesture underscores Saudi Arabia's engagement in regional diplomacy.
Saudi Arabia's approach to diplomatic relations with Israel has been closely monitored in recent months. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in an interview with American Fox News, refuted reports of halted talks regarding normalization with Israel. He emphasized that the two nations are progressively moving closer to normalization every day.
While Israeli officials have increasingly discussed the prospect of normalization with Saudi Arabia, the Saudi leadership has consistently underscored that such normalization will not occur until a lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is achieved.
