Israeli Media citing Herzog: Would like to visit Saudi Arabia openly

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In an interview that Israel Hayom held with the Israeli occupation President on the occasion of the so-called "Independence Day", Israeli President Isaac Herzog told the daily newspaper, "I would definitely be happy to openly visit Saudi Arabia."

Herzog wished the Saudis would join "the family" of the normalization accords saying "the accession process depends not only on 'Israel,' but also on the internal processes in Saudi Arabia and on Saudi-US relations."

He also talked about his relationship with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, saying, "The prime minister and I cooperate excellently. I came into the presidency with extensive experience and a wealth of diplomatic connections that I harness to serve the country in full coordination" with Bennett.

The Israeli President touched on the political crisis that has been ongoing in "Israel" since 2019, vowing "to do everything I can to promote stability – not in the sense of who leads politically but by ensuring the integrity of the political process."

He also talked about the Israeli-Turkish relationship, saying, "It is like developing a relationship. I do not know what will happen, but I know that there is a genuine Turkish effort to improve relations with 'Israel,' and I am giving it a chance."

In the same context, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in Mid-April that Ankara seeks to establish permanent relations with "Israel".

Cavusoglu said that Turkey and "Israel" both have common interests and that his country is ready to develop bilateral cooperation and regional dialogue through a positive agenda, noting that the "warmness" of bilateral relations depends on "Israel's" policy toward Palestinians.

He also said that since 1949, Israeli-Turkish relations have had their ups and downs because of "Israel's" violation of Palestinians' rights, and not just bilateral trade, adding that Ankara expects "Israel" to expect international law on the Palestinian cause in the interest of a permanent relationship.

The foreign minister noted that his country wishes to advance cooperation with "Israel" in the fields of energy, trade, investment, science, technology, agriculture, and food security, asserting that there is a new momentum in the two countries' bilateral relations, and hoped to see more Israeli tourists in Turkey this year.