Israel FinMin seeks joint Middle East market including Saudi Arabia

Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Monday he hoped U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to the region this week will lead to a common Middle East market that includes Saudi Arabia. Biden will start a Middle East visit in Israel on Wednesday and will then head to Saudi Arabia. Israel normalised relations with four Arab countries under a 2020 U.S. diplomatic drive that received Riyadh's blessing.

Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Monday he hoped U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to the region this week will lead to a common Middle East market that includes Saudi Arabia. Biden will start a Middle East visit in Israel on Wednesday and will then head to Saudi Arabia.

Israel normalized relations with four Arab countries under a 2020 U.S. diplomatic drive that received Riyadh's blessing. But Saudi Arabia has stopped short of formally recognizing Israel. Asked at a conference what he expects to arise from Biden's visit, Lieberman said: "The creation of a new, common market in the Middle East."