Delegation from Israel makes first openly declared visit to Saudi Arabia

In another sign of thaw in relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, an Israeli delegation made its first publicly declared visit to the kingdom on Monday (September 11). The delegation attended a meeting by the United Nations' cultural agency in Saud Arabian capital Riyadh. The US is keen for both countries to normalise ties.

Three Israeli officials were seen sitting at Israel's chairs of the 45th session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, a Reuters witness said. The officials declined to comment when approached by Reuters.

Another Israeli official told Reuters that the delegation comprised of the Foreign Ministry's deputy director-general for international organisations and the ambassador to international organisations in Paris.

The official added that a delegate from Israel's Education Ministry and the chair of Israel's Antiquities Authority also took part in the gathering.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia or Israel.

Public appearances of Israeli officials are rare in Saudi Arabia, a Muslim powerhouse and home to Islam's holiest shrines, but both sides have had covert contacts which were forged partly through shared fears of Iran.

Washington has been pressing its traditional ally Riyadh to sign a normalisation deal with Israel, which would be its biggest diplomatic win in the region and following similar agreements with United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, known as the Abraham Accords.

However, Riyadh has so far resisted US pressure and linked the move to the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, along with other demands.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE