Netanyahu Secretly Flies to Saudi Arabia, Meets MbZ

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Mossad chief Yossi Cohen on Sunday made a rare, top-secret jaunt to Saudi Arabia to visit with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The four-hour meeting, coming on the tail end of the virtual G20 summit hosted by Riyadh, was revealed only late Monday morning after flight analysts picked up on an unofficial chartered Gulfstream jet that flew from Tel Aviv to the Saudi city of Neom on the Red Sea. It was later confirmed by Israeli officials, including Netanyahu’s media adviser, who used the trip to mock the prime minister’s political rivals and coalition partners, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. The two reportedly had been left in the dark. The flash summit sparked renewed speculation regarding an imminent normalization pact between Israel and Saudi Arabia although Riyadh’s recent lukewarm statements on the subject make it more likely the discussion revolved around Iran’s nuclear efforts and a new White House administration.