Israel and Saudi Arabia share many regional interests, including the war against Islamic extremism and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. But it would be a mistake to think that these commonalities change the Saudi discourse on Israel.
About two months ago, a story ran in the Saudi media claiming that Israel “steals” dates grown in Saudi Arabia. According to the reporting, Israel obtains the dates by way of a third party and sells them in Europe under an Israeli label. This serious accusation has come from not only Saudi merchants but also a representative of the royal family, Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al-Saud, governor of the Al-Qassim region, one of the most important date-growing regions in the country.