From the Liveblog of
Monday, January 27, 2020
Saudi Arabia says Israelis can’t visit, despite announcement Monday
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe foreign minister of Saudi Arabia clarifies that despite Israel’s announcement yesterday that it will allow its citizens to travel to the Gulf kingdom, on his country’s end there is no change in policy.
“Our policy remains the same,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan tells CNN. “We do not have relations with the State of Israel and Israeli passport holders cannot visit the kingdom at the current time.”
He adds that Saudi Arabia will establish full relations with Israel once the Jewish state makes peace with the Palestinians.
"Once there's a peace deal…I think the integration of Israel into the regional context is very much on the table."
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister tells @NicRobertsonCNN he supports U.S. efforts for a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians in exclusive interview. pic.twitter.com/5qG5MQskjN
— Connect the World (@CNNConnect) January 27, 2020
On Sunday, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri signed an order permitting Israelis to go to the kingdom to participate in business meetings or to search for investments, provided that they have an invitation from an official body and have taken care of the necessary paperwork to enter the country.
The order also formally allows Muslim citizens of Israel to travel to the Saudi city of Mecca to perform the hajj or Umrah religious pilgrimage. Israeli pilgrims usually travel for the hajj on temporary Jordanian papers.
The Times of Israel Community.