Are they or aren't they? Talking, that is. Who? The Israelis and the Saudis.

You may or may not remember those rumours back in November that the Saudis (and the other Gulf states) were cozying up to Israel, particularly in view of the imminent "agreement" between the 5 + 1 group and Iran (now a fact). The Saudis (and the other Gulf states) felt badly let down by the US failing to intervene in Syria, at least to any good effect. The rumours were to the effect that, should push come to shove, the Saudis would not be averse to letting the IAF overfly Saudi airspace ("strange air movements? We see no strange air movements in our air-space. Oh, and those are our long-distance bombers we're refuelling in mid-air").

Of course, all this was hotly denied (wouldn't you, in their place?). For the Israelis, it would inevitably create an air of uncertainty in the minds of the Iranians: would the IAF overfly Saudi to Iran? Or would it be via Jordanian air-space? Come to that, Greece was their new best friend in Europe, now that relationships had broken down with Turkey. And hadn't Azerbaijan agreed refuelling rights with Israel? All this inevitably gives military planners nightmares. Just what the Israelis want!

However, now, via a Palestinian paper and then via The Times of Israel we get new reports that an unnamed Gulf official from an unnamed Gulf state has been in Israel, meeting Bibi, no less. The reports even suggest that it's a Saudi official.

If nothing else, it keeps the Iranians dancing as though on hot coals, which can be no bad thing.

By Brian Goldfarb.