Senior Saudi general meets senior Israeli officials in Jerusalem

The Israeli foreign ministry revealed that retired Saudi General Anwar Eshki met senior Israeli officials, including Knesset members, in Jerusalem, Anadolu reported on Sunday.

Spokesman of the Israeli Foreign Ministry Emmanuel Nahshon said in a brief statement that Eshki, the retired general and political and strategic expert, met the Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold.

Ynet News said that the meeting between Eshki and Gold took place at the prestigious King David hotel in west Jerusalem but did not give further details.

Anadolu said that the Israeli officials did not give many details about the visit and what issues were discussed during the meeting, which included Saudi experts and businessmen.

Nahshon said that Eshki also met with Israeli Major General Yoav Mordechai, coordinator of Israeli government activities in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz also reported that Eshki met a group of Israeli opposition Knesset members and discussed different issues.

Eshki and his delegation arrived in Ramallah last week. The office of the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ramai Hamadallah met with Eshki on Tuesday.

According to Ynet News, the Israeli army radio reported Eshki denying any security links between his country and Israel. “To my knowledge there is no cooperation in the struggle against terrorism,” he said.

He also told the army radio, according to Ynet News, that Israel would only be able to make peace with the Arab world when it had resolved the conflict with the Palestinians, in accordance with the 2002 Arab proposal.