“We want to see a thriving Israel. We want to see a thriving Palestine”, Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud has said, amidst ongoing speculation of a possible future peace deal between Saudi Arabia and the Jewish State.
“We talk about an integrated Middle East, unified [as] a bloc like Europe”, said the Princess. “Integration means our people collaborate, our businesses collaborate, and our youth thrive”.
Her comments, made at the recent Aspen Ideas Festival, preceded the publication of fresh plans to establish a continuous land bridge directly connecting Israel to Jordan and the Gulf states. The ‘Land Connectivity by Trucks’ will link Israel to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, to be joined later by Oman and Bahrain, an Israeli Foreign Ministry document revealed. The project will bridge the Far East and West, as Washington continues to promote plans for railway connectivity between Europe and the Jewish State. In time, the land bridge will be extended for civilian use – including for tourism and business.
“Investment in infrastructure projects of this magnitude will contribute to promoting trade between countries, between Asia and Europe, and bring prosperity to the partner countries”, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said.
The project will save an estimated two – three days to several weeks in shipping time, saving costs of up to 20%. UAE trucks currently reach Israel’s Port of Haifa via the Allenby Bridge on the Israel-Jordan border, but are hindered by bureaucratic driver changes, waiting times and paperwork. Shipping routes through the Suez Canal are similarly time-consuming and costly.
Seamless transportation from Dubai to Haifa “will be a game-changer” according to the released documents. Upgrading existing road infrastructure, standardising trucks and licenses will be required for the project, which was presented by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to the U.S. Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security Amos Hochstein.
The project was made possible due to the signing of the 2020 Abraham Accords, the historic normalisation agreements which signalled a new era of peace and prosperity for Israel and the Arab world.
