Israeli minister calls for full Saudi ties and official Riyadh visit

Senior Israeli ministers have called on Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel.

Speaking at the Herzliya conference on Thursday, Israel’s intelligence and transportation minister Yisrael Katz asked King Salman to invite Prime Minister Netanyahu to Riyadh and to send newly appointed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Tel Aviv in return.

"I call upon Salman, the King of Saudi, to invite the prime minister of Israel Netanyahu to visit Saudi Arabia," Katz said, at the annual gathering of Israeli political leaders and strategists.

"We saw what a wonderful host you can be... when President Trump was there. You can also send your heir, the new one, Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He's a dynamic person. He is an initiator. And he wants to break through.

"Exactly this way... they know who Iran is. They know we have to create an access vis-a-vis Iran. You can send him for a meeting in Israel and I promise you, he's going to be a very welcome guest."

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's military affairs minister, also called for "full diplomatic and economic relations" at the conference.

A peace deal must be reached with "moderate Arab Sunni countries" before a peace agreement could be made with the Palestinians, Lieberman said.

He said: "The only light at the end of the tunnel is a complete regional agreement."

"Full diplomatic and economic relations. Not under the table, but on the table.”