Israel has decided to withdraw its support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the Expo 2030 world fair amid Riyadh’s harsh criticism of Jerusalem over the war in Gaza, the Kan public broadcaster reports.
Israel had indicated it would back Saudi Arabia over the past year as US-brokered talks aimed at a normalization agreement between the two countries intensified.
But Riyadh has joined the Arab world in fiercely criticizing the IDF operation in Gaza, calling on the international community to impose an arms embargo against the Jewish state.
US officials speaking to The Times of Israel earlier this month insisted that a normalization agreement between the two countries remains possible after the war, but they acknowledged that the Palestinian component of the deal will likely expand significantly against the backdrop of the war.
Instead of backing Saudi Arabia, Israel has decided to support Italy’s bid to host Expo 2030 in Rome, Kan reports.
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