Israeli television news teams reported Friday that Saudi Arabia was involved in brokering the peace agreement between Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco.
Diplomatic sources quoted by Israel’s Channel 12 news team said officials in Riyadh played a role in the negotiations but did not cite specifics.
Israel’s Channel 13 reported, meanwhile, that Saudi Arabia has united with the White House to secure normalization deals between Israel and other Muslim majority nations. Although it is not clear which ones might be next in line, speculation is running rampant.
The Gulf nation of Oman welcomed last week’s US recognition of Western Sahara as part of Morocco, and the historic normalization agreement between Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco brokered by President Donald Trump.
“Oman wishes that the recent announcement by King Mohammed VI of Morocco would strengthen the ongoing efforts for a ‘comprehensive, just and permanent peace’ in the Middle East,” Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
In a post on Twitter, Oman’s Foreign Ministry wrote, “Oman welcomes US recognition of Western Sahara as part of Morocco and King Mohammed VI announcement about normalization with Israel.” In addition, the Oman Foreign Ministry expressed the hope that “the move would strengthen efforts towards a lasting and just peace in the Middle East.”
Egypt’s President Abdel al-Sisi also hailed the agreement as “an important step to achieve more stability and cooperation in our region,” according to the AFP news agency.
Al-Sisi extended an invitation to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an official visit to Egypt. This will be the first time Netanyahu has traveled to the country in nearly a decade; the last official visit was when he met with then-President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
If the visit takes place, the agenda is expected to focus on the Iranian threat, the situation with the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, ways to improve economic and trade between the two countries, and ways to improve ties ahead of the incoming Biden Administration in Washington DC.