Israel’s Interior Minister Arye Deri has signed a directive earlier this week allowing Israeli citizens to travel to Saudi Arabia for the first time in its history, media reported Sunday.
Leading Israeli publication Haaretz cited unnamed sources familiar with the decision as saying the directive was signed last Wednesday, culminating a process that has “been brewing for weeks.”
The travel permission, Haaretz reported, is conditioned on receiving an official invitation from the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia, like most other Arab nations, does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. However, reports have frequently indicated some behind-the-scenes diplomatic cooperation as the two share common interests in opposing Iranian influence in the region.
