A rather rare survey conducted among a representative sample of Saudis reveals a less negative attitude towards Israel, although the majority still opposes normalization. According to the survey, 38% agree that "people who want to have business or sports ties with Israelis should be allowed to do so."

At the same time, the Saudi public opposes open relations with Israel with only 16% expressing a positive opinion on the peace agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. This is a significant and unexplained decline compared to a survey conducted in July 2021, when 36% of Saudis expressed support for the agreements.

An even lower rate (13%) expressed a positive opinion about the recent conference in Arbil, Iraq where a call was made to sign a peace agreement with Israel.

The contrast between the relatively high rate of Saudis receiving practical contact with Israel and the low rate of support for open relations with Israel can explain the cautious policy pursued by the Saudi government regarding relations with Israel.

Image: Reuters