Israel’s Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Frey confirmed covert contacts with Saudi Arabia related to bilateral trade and shared concerns about Iran.

The newspaper “Maariv” quoted him as saying that he asked Riyadh to allow direct flights from Tel Aviv airport for those wishing to make the Hajj to Mecca.

Freij, who belongs to a Muslim minority that makes up 18 percent of Israel’s population, said: “I want to see the day I leave Ben Gurion Airport for Jeddah to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.”

He explained that Saudi Arabia has long accepted pilgrims from Israel, but they have to pass through a third country, noting that this pushes the fare up to about $11,500 for a week’s trip, while pilgrims from neighboring countries pay about half that amount. .

“I have discussed this issue with Saudi Arabia and I very much hope that that day will come,” he added, adding that Israel is working to establish what it believes are clandestine contacts between the two countries, most of which are related to trade or common interests. about Iran, for the general public.

In this context, an Israeli official told Reuters: “We are in talks to obtain general rights to fly over Saudi Arabia to destinations other than Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Manama. This will save a lot of time, for example, to reach destinations in Asia.” “