A delegation consisting of 12 Israeli businessmen participated in the Government Cybersecurity Conference held in the city of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. This participation is seen as a significant step in the ongoing efforts to normalize Saudi-Israeli relations. A photo has been circulating showing the participation of the settler Nirit Ofer, along with the Israeli business delegation at the cybersecurity conference.
It’s worth noting that last May, Nirit Ofer was invited to give a lecture at the “Security in the Middle East” conference held in the Saudi capital. This marked the first time an Israeli Jew delivered a public lecture to an audience from across the region, including representatives from Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. Ofer stated, “Most participants showed great curiosity and bombarded me with countless questions. They even agreed to exchange business cards and stay in touch,” according to a report by “i24news”. She added, “At the same time, there were also those who were scared when they heard I was Israeli and avoided any contact with me.”
The major surprise came when Saudi government officials approached Ofer and invited her to lead a trade delegation to the conference in Dammam. This wasn’t the first time; in 2021, Ofer brought an Israeli team to Saudi Arabia to compete in the Dakar Rally, with all members entering the country on Israeli passports.
During the conference, Israeli internet companies showcased innovative technologies that garnered significant interest. Most of the time, the delegates were warmly received, although a few participants clearly ignored their presence or demanded utmost discretion from their Israeli counterparts.
Ofer commented, “It seems to me that we still have a long way to go, but there’s no doubt that something is happening in the relationship between Israel and Riyadh.” During the conference, Israeli companies were invited to private meetings with companies from across the Arab world, especially the Gulf. This included discussions with Saudi oil giant Aramco, the Saudi Ministry of Energy, the Saudi Electricity Company, and the Ministries of Gas and Oil in Bahrain.
In a meeting with the invited Israeli businessmen, Saudi officials sent a strong message to Israel: “With all due respect to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, signatories of the Abraham Accords, we are something else. The great Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the guardian of the cities of Mecca and Medina, the holy places for nearly two billion Muslims. Therefore, normalization with us, when it comes, will be a vastly different event in scale.”
Normalization is not far-fetched. With recent headlines highlighting US efforts to mediate a normalization agreement, diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia no longer seem like a distant dream. US officials have been shuttling around the region, many Israeli ministers have traveled to the US, and a Palestinian delegation visited the Kingdom, all of which lends credibility to the belief that a new era in the Middle East might be on the horizon.
The report also highlighted the Saudis’ own assessment of the prospects of relations between Riyadh and Tel Aviv. Abdulaziz Al-Khamis, a journalist who visited Israel three times, stated, “We have a golden opportunity. With the help of the United States, we can normalize our relations. We should bring the Israelis and Palestinians to Riyadh to talk about peace.” Another Saudi added, “We know that without Israel, the new Middle East proposed by our Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will not happen. For us, the Saudis, we are always annoyed to hear the Israelis ask us: ‘When will you join the Abraham Accords?’”