Senior diplomatic officials shared with i24NEWS that the Gulf state is looking to normalize relations with Israel, but that this will take time.
"The direction of Saudi-Israeli relations is normalization, but it will take more time and we must not put the cart before the horse." So said Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir in a meeting held in recent weeks with Jews from the United States, as revealed in an official document obtained by i24NEWS.
In a separate meeting which was held last month with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi presented a list of demands in exchange for progress, all directed at Washington. The Palestinian issue was not mentioned in the conversation.
i24NEWS also learned that Adel Al-Jubeir met in recent weeks with U.S. Jewish community leaders in Washington where he delivered messages regarding future relations with Israel. According to the document obtained by i24NEWS, Al-Jubeir told the audience that progress on Israeli-Saudi normalization is ongoing, but that more time is required for it to bear fruit.
"Israel and other Gulf states have been gradually normalizing for years. The process must be allowed to mature," Al-Jubeir noted.
