Minister: Israel, Saudis Hold Talks About Iran

Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries “have understandings and maintain direct contact with respect to the Iranian threat,” Regional Cooperation Minister Esawi Frej said Monday.

Speaking with Alhurra news channel, Frej further noted that “given that it [the Iranian threat] doesn’t only concern Israel or Saudi Arabia, it has to be dealt with internationally.”

Alhurra is an Arabic-language, U.S.-based public satellite news channel that broadcasts news and current affairs programming to audiences in the Middle East and North Africa.

He said that Israeli officials “on all levels” maintain regular contact with their counterparts in the United Arab Emirates, and said there is “a sincere intention” to implement a number of projects related to oil pipelines, solar energy and the construction of industrial areas near the southern Gaza Strip.

Commenting on Israel’s ties with Jordan, Frej said that over the last decade there has been a crisis of confidence between Amman and Yerushalayim, something he said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tried to repair.

Bennett has visited Jordan in an effort to restore trust and both countries are pursuing cooperation via economic programs in the fields of solar energy and water, the minister said.

He promised that “in the coming weeks a very important decision will be made with respect to our ties with the brothers in Jordan.”