Expansion of covert contacts between Saudi Arabia and Israel ‘highly likely,’ says Middle East expert

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In this handout photo provided by the Israel Government Press Office (GPO), US President Donald J Trump (L) and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner meet with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) at the King David Hotel May 22, 2017 in Jerusalem, Israel.

“It is probable that there is a U.S.-Israeli-Saudi plan in the making to agree on what steps each will take in parallel to roll back the influence of Iran and its proxies in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon,” Ottaway said.

Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz in November confirmed contact between his government and Saudi Arabia’s, but noted Riyadh’s desire to keep it a secret.

“We have ties that are indeed partly covert with many Muslim and Arab countries, and usually (we are) the party that is not ashamed,” Steinitz said, as reported by Reuters. “When ties are developing, whether it’s with Saudi Arabia or with other Arab countries… We keep it secret.”

In June, Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz called on Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to allow full diplomatic relations.

Reports of rapprochement have also coincided with the growing influence of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who is close to Washington, which is of course a key Israeli ally.

NBC News reported in November that “U.S. diplomats engage with both sides with the assumption that the two parties speak directly,” according to former senior U.S. officials.

Daniel Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, told NBC there was “considerable amounts of quiet, behind-the-scenes coordination between them — intelligence channels and other security channels.”