Israeli Minister of Tourism Haim Katz, led the Israeli government's delegation to Saudi Arabia in what became the first official visit by a minister from the Jewish state to the Saudi kingdom in history. Katz's visit, on the occasion of a United Nations meeting, represents another step in the normalization of relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors in the Middle East.
Mohamed bin Salman, Saudi crown prince, assured in an interview with Fox that the rapprochement in relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel is increasingly significant. Since the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel and several Arab states, it is only a matter of time before Saudi Arabia, the great regional power, also joins the peace with Jerusalem.
During his speech before the United Nations last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also assured that a historic agreement between the two countries is soon to arrive. To this day, Saudi Arabia does not formally recognize Israel as a state.
According toThe Times of Israel, Minister Katz will be in Saudi Arabia for two days for a World Tourism Organization event that coincides with International Tourism Day on the Sept. 27.
Next week, another Israeli minister, Shlomo Karhi, in charge of communications, will also travel to Saudi Arabia for similar reasons. The minister will attend a congress being held in the capital of Riyadh, according to his cabinet.
