Israeli sources were skeptical Sunday of a report in the Sunday Times that Saudi Arabia and Israel are in talks to establish economic ties, saying Riyadh has little interest at the moment in taking its ties with Israel out into the open.Senior Israeli officials, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu down through ministers, such as Transportation and Intelligence Minister Israel Katz, have broadly hinted over more than a year that Israel and the Saudis are cooperating on security issues having to do with their common threats: Iran and radical Islamic terrorism.
But beyond mentioning that these ties exist, no one has provided much detail.
The Sunday Times, quoting Arab and American sources, said the economic ties would "start small," allowing Israeli business people to operate in the Gulf, and letting EL Al fly over Saudi airspace.
Why should Israel exert itself to establish relations with a "country" that - given fracking - won't exist in 10 years?