Saudi Arabia is implementing normalization of relations with Israel in an undisclosed manner, expressed through visits by Israeli businessmen entering Saudi Arabia with Israeli passports and special entry visas, and they have concluded "big deals," while Saudi businessmen and Saudi investment funds are conducting "advanced communications" to invest in Israel, according to the Israeli economic newspaper "Globes," in a report published at the end of this week.

It turns out that such Saudi-Israeli relations have been ongoing for a long time. The newspaper quoted an informed source saying, "We have had indirect relations with Saudi Arabia for more than twenty years, but I do not remember growth like what we are witnessing in recent months."

These commercial relations were conducted behind the scenes, often through companies registered in European or other countries, and the deals were signed in those countries as well. These deals included various civil and security fields, according to the newspaper.

The newspaper confirmed that for several months, Saudi Arabia has allowed Israeli businessmen to enter its territory carrying Israeli passports after obtaining a special entry visa. The main field represented by these businessmen is Israeli technology companies invited to Saudi Arabia. The changes that have occurred in recent months include the lifting of the sweeping ban on Israelis entering and the ease of obtaining entry visas to Saudi Arabia.

Dozens of Israeli businessmen took advantage of this opportunity to visit Riyadh and other cities such as NEOM, which was visited by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in November 2020, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in the presence of then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

These visits by Israeli businessmen resulted in many deals, including two deals worth millions of dollars in the field of desert agriculture.

An Israeli businessman said, "Aside from direct diplomatic relations as well as direct bank transfers, we have everything countries need to conduct direct commercial relations, sign deals, and transfer assets and expertise," according to what the newspaper quoted him as saying.

The deals signed between Israeli and Saudi companies included civil technological fields such as medical machinery industries. There is also growing interest in Saudi investment not only in startups (high-tech), but in "proven Israeli products."

Dr. Nirit Ofer, the General Director of the Chamber of Commerce between Israel and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said, "The remarkable thing is that the talk is about the private sector on both sides, which pushes matters forward quickly. Businessmen are not constrained by diplomatic issues, and when there is personal meeting and interest, they proceed."

The Israeli newspaper quoted a "senior" Saudi official in Riyadh, saying that the number of applications submitted by Saudi businessmen to obtain entry visas to Israel is increasing, "because interest and thirst for information about Israeli technology is growing rapidly." He added that meetings between Israeli and Saudi businessmen are also held in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Manama. "The authorities here see the potential in this activity, and this integrates with the major plans and reforms pushed by the Crown Prince."

The newspaper pointed to the interest of the two countries in the security and intelligence field and attributed this to "the existence of a common enemy – Iran." Many reports indicated the sale of Israeli security systems to Saudi Arabia, including the Pegasus mobile phone spyware program, developed by the Israeli offensive cyber company NSO, which was used in the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Netanyahu reportedly ordered the renewal of Saudi Arabia's license to use this program at bin Salman's request.

The newspaper stressed that "the security and intelligence field has established the necessary foundation for other fields, as well as increasing Israeli geopolitical influence much more than in the past." The newspaper pointed out that "this is evidenced by the American effort to recruit Israel to help convince Saudi Arabia to increase oil production due to the global energy shortage caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine."

The newspaper added that advisors to US President Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia to discuss the issue of increasing oil production, "and they also raised the issue of advancing economic and trade relations with Israel."

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is conducting secret mediation between Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt in an attempt to reach a settlement to complete the transfer of sovereignty over the Tiran and Sanafir islands from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, including a separate Saudi step to normalize relations with Israel, according to what the "Walla" website reported last Tuesday, citing four informed American sources.