(World Affairs) Michael J. Totten - Saudi and Israeli diplomats jointly announced that they've held five meetings in secret since early last year. Retired Saudi general Anwar Majed Eshki and Israeli diplomat Dore Gold shook hands in front of the cameras during their announcement at the Council on Foreign Relations - a bigger deal than it seems. Not because it suddenly means that Israel and Saudi Arabia are best friends forever, but because shaking hands with or even saying hello to an Israeli is a crime in some Arab countries. But bigotries can fade in even the most reactionary countries over time and under the right circumstances, and it's actually happening in Saudi Arabia. Eshki says Saudi Arabia's number one priority is peace between Israelis and Arabs. Not between Israelis and Palestinians, but between Israel and the entire Arab world. It's true that the history between Muslims and Jews is long and unpleasant, but the history between Muslims and Christians is equally long and unpleasant, yet Saudi Arabia has normal relations with every Christian nation on earth. Officially, the Saudis don't recognize Israel's right to exist, but at least they acknowledge the reality of Israel's existence, and they're increasingly recognizing that the two nations have common interests and common real enemies.
2015-06-12 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive