Israel says Biden visit may augur common Mideast market, with Saudis | Reuters
Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Monday he hoped a regional visit by U.S. President Joe Biden this week will lead to a common Middle East market that includes Saudi Arabia.
Biden arrives in Israel on Wednesday and continues to Saudi Arabia on Friday. The White House has said the visit's aims include "expanding regional economic and security cooperation".
Asked at an economic conference hosted by Calcalist newspaper what he expects to arise from Biden's visit, Lieberman said: "The creation of a new, common market in the Middle East. That's the big challenge."
"It will change the reality here from end to end, in both the fields of security and of economics. Therefore I hope the emphasis during Biden's visit will be on creating this new market in the Middle East."
Israel normalised 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 recognising Israel in the absence of a resolution to Palestinian statehood goals.
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