Israeli citizens will be allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia for religious or business purposes, Israel’s Interior Ministry announced Sunday. Israeli visitors will still be required to obtain an official invitation, the ministry said, adding that Israeli security officials and other “relevant” bodies coordinated to reach the decision, The Associated Press reported. Washington is seeking Saudi support for the proposal, which may be further complicated by the near-certainty that Palestinian leaders will oppose the proposal. The kingdom, and particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have spearheaded a broad attempt at improving its public image in recent years, including some reforms to women’s rights. Those efforts suffered a major blow, however, after the murder of dissident and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, which several intelligence agencies have concluded was ordered by the crown prince.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 26, 2020 18:22 UTC