Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Saudi Arabia has reportedly started opening its doors to citizens and investors from Israel. This happened when Riyadh still did not have diplomatic relations with the Jewish State.
The Israel Globes news agency reported that Saudi Arabia will open its doors to Israeli travelers to its two Red Sea islands, Tiran and Sanafir. The island itself would later be linked by a bridge to Egyptian territory.
“Saudi Arabia will soon allow Israelis to obtain tourist visas to visit the islands of Tiran and Sanafir which will provide hotels and casinos,” the media was quoted as saying. Al MayadeenTuesday (24/1/2023).
Tiran Island and Sanafir itself were bought by Saudi Arabia from Egypt in 2016. Previously, Tiran Island had been demilitarized according to the Egyptian-Israel normalization agreement in 1979.
Although it does not have large resources, this island is considered strategic considering its location as the entrance from the Red Sea to Eliat, Israel’s economic and trade center.
Meanwhile, last June, it was also stated that Riyadh was attracting the interest of the Jewish State investors to invest in its territory. Israel Chamber of Commerce CEO Nirit Ofir told Al-Monitor news agency that the private sector on both sides had pulled Tel Aviv and Riyadh in an increasingly tight position from an economic standpoint.
“Saudi Arabia is eyeing Israeli agricultural technologies with great interest, as they can help Riyadh achieve food security,” the report said.
Previously Saudi banned the entry of Israeli citizens into its territory and did not carry out diplomatic relations with the country. This is related to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Even so, the two countries are said to have communicated. In 2020, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly even held a meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS)
At that time, Saudi neighbors such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain had decided to normalize their relations with Tel Aviv. This was done through mediation by the United States, which at that time was led by President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the Saudis themselves are currently working on several major projects around the Mediterranean Sea. One of them is a new city called NEOM.
These major projects will later be aimed at attracting international citizens to visit Saudi Arabia. The creation of this city is in accordance with MBS’ Vision 2030 which wants the country to be more independent from oil revenues.
Next Article
The Prince of Saudi Arabia Secretly Owns a Painting of Jesus Rp. 6.9 T
(luc/luc)
