ISRAEL HAYOM
Reading Israel Hayom in Riyadh
by Elliott Abrams
October 8, 2016

It is easy to exaggerate the opening that is occurring between Israel and several Gulf states, ‎but it’s easy to underestimate it, too. The most recent change: Saudi Arabia has stopped ‎blocking access to Israeli newspapers online.‎ As Al Akhbar in Beirut reported in a story titled “Saudi Arabia lifts ban on Israeli press”:‎ ‎”The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is gradually endorsing its relations with Israel and widening ‎these relations’ scope by moving from the political communication calls and mutual visits ‎into media normalization. This indicates that things will further escalate in a way as to ‎prepare for subsequent steps.‎ READ MORE

Related story: Jerusalem Post Editorial: Saudis and the ‘Jerusalem Post’