Saudi Arabia denies secret meeting with Israeli officials during Pompeo visit

Al-Monitor Staff

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud walks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo toward the Treaty Room at the State Department, Oct. 14, 2020, in Washington, DC. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Oct. 14, 2020, encouraged Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel in what would be a massive boost for the Jewish state amid normalization by two other Gulf Arab kingdoms. — MANUEL BALCE CENETA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia is denying reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Gulf kingdom on Sunday.

“I have seen press reports about a purported meeting between HRH the Crown Prince and Israeli officials during the recent visit by @SecPompeo,” Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, tweeted on Monday.

“No such meeting occurred. The only officials present were American and Saudi,” Farhan tweeted.

But according to Israeli news outlets, Netanyahu and Mossad spy chief Yossi Cohen departed from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International airport on Sunday in a private jet headed for Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, where the crown prince was meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the city of Neom.

Saudi Arabia denies secret meeting with Israeli officials during Pompeo visit

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Faisal bin Farhan, said no meeting between Saudi Arabia and Israeli officials took place.

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