Israeli Minister Reports on 'Secret Contacts' Between Tel Aviv and Riyadh Regarding Iran

Yuval Steinitz, Israel's Energy Minister, announced in a radio interview that his country has been in secret contact with Saudi Arabia for some time over 'shared concerns about Iran.' Reuters, which published this report on Sunday, November 19, described Mr. Steinitz's remarks as the first public statements by an official regarding Israel's secret contacts with the Saudis. In the interview with Galei Tzahal, the Israeli army radio, Mr. Steinitz responded to questions about the reasons for concealing Israel's contacts with Saudi Arabia. He confirmed that Israel has been in secret contact with 'many Muslim and Arab governments.' According to Mr. Steinitz, Israel is not ashamed of these contacts; rather, it is usually the other parties that wish to keep these interactions confidential. He added that 'from our perspective, these connections are not a problem; but when relations change, we respect the wishes of the other parties to keep the contacts behind the scenes, whether it be Saudi Arabia or other Arab and Muslim countries.' Mr. Steinitz stated that 'many countries' have secret contacts with Israel, and Israel remains silent at the request of the other party. He further noted that Israel is working to prevent the consolidation of Iranian military presence in Syria and is receiving 'help from Arab countries' for this goal. The Israeli Energy Minister also mentioned that Arab countries have been partners in efforts to improve the deficiencies of the JCPOA, the Iran nuclear deal with global powers. Yuval Steinitz, a member of the ruling Likud party led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been responsible for the 'Iran file' in the Israeli government for many years. His statements came just days after the first interview of General Gadi Eisenkot, Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, with the Saudi website Elaph. General Eisenkot stated in the interview that Israel is ready to cooperate with Saudi Arabia on intelligence regarding Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and many Israeli officials have repeatedly emphasized the shared concerns of their country with some Arab governments regarding 'shared concerns' about Iran. Two weeks ago, Mr. Netanyahu stated at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs in Britain, that many moderate Sunni Arab governments share Israel's views on Iran's aggression but have previously expressed these views behind closed doors, saying 'you say these positions.' Mr. Netanyahu also mentioned in London that when Israel and Arab countries speak the same language regarding Iran, the world should listen. Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have severely deteriorated and been severed since two years ago, following the execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a Saudi Shia cleric, which led to an attack by a group of Basij forces on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad, escalating the rhetoric between the leaders of Tehran and Riyadh against each other. In the context of severed relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, it seems that the ground has been prepared for closer ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, to the extent that the Israeli newspaper Haaretz wrote last week in an article: 'Saudi Arabia, we love you' because Saudi Arabia 'is doing the things that Israel wants.' The existence of secret contacts between Israel and Saudi Arabia was confirmed by a senior Israeli official on the same day that the Arab League held an emergency meeting in Cairo to discuss how to confront Iran. Foreign ministers of Arab League member countries, gathered in Cairo at Saudi Arabia's request, strongly criticized Iran's 'threatening interventions' and Hezbollah against regional countries. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, stated while reading the final resolution of this meeting that it is likely that the member countries will refer to the Security Council regarding Iran's actions.