THE MEDIA LINE
Rare Saudi-Israeli Media Contacts Re-emerge as Iran Strikes the Gulf
Giorgia Valente
July 21, 2026

Two unusual media appearances involving Saudi Arabia and Israel have revived questions about whether the countries are cautiously reopening channels as Iranian attacks place growing pressure on Gulf security. On July 16, Israeli President Isaac Herzog gave an exclusive interview to Al Arabiya English, telling the Saudi-based outlet that he wanted rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia and expressing respect for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman…Cyril Widdershoven, a geopolitical and energy analyst and senior adviser at Blue Water Strategy, views Herzog’s interview as a possible signal that Saudi-Israeli engagement is not completely off the table. “It was politically significant because of the platform, timing, and message,” Widdershoven told The Media Line. He said Al Arabiya is part of the Saudi media landscape and argued that giving Herzog a platform to discuss peace and praise the crown prince could have been intended to gauge public and regional reactions. READ MORE

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