Cutting through the Hype: Understanding the Economic Potential of Saudi Arabia- Israel Diplomatic Relations

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Published: Sep 11, 2025
Keywords:
Saudi Arabia, Israel, Normalization, Abraham Accords

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Yossi
Bar Ilan University
Gedaliah
Reichman University
Arnon Bersson
Reichman University

Abstract

Dear Editors,


My name is Dr. Yossi Mann, and I am a faculty member at Bar-Ilan University and Reichman University. I have served as the head of the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Bar-Ilan University and at Reichman University. My specialization is the social and economic aspects of Saudi Arabia. The offered article is a result of research conducted with my two colleagues, Dr. Gedaliah Afterman and Mr. Arnon Berson. It deals with the economic potential of Saudi Arabia and Israel in case of normalization.


The article first reviews Saudi Arabia's historical policy toward Israel and describes the factors that led the parties to establish connections. In the second part, the article proposes an innovative method for analyzing the volume of trade between the two countries based on quantitative and qualitative analysis. I believe that such an article can be very relevant during background discussions on normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.


Thank you very much



Yossi

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 30 No. 1 (2025): Israel Studies
Section
Articles
Author Biographies

Yossi, Bar Ilan University

Dr. Yossi Mann currently serves as senior lecturer at Bar Ilan University and Reichman University. He served as the Head of the Middle Eastern Program at Reichman University. He served as the Head of the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Bar Ilan University. Additionally, he acts as a consultant to the Israeli government across various domains within his area of expertise. He obtained his Ph.D. from Bar Ilan University in Israel, specializing in research related to the oil market and the Arab Gulf. Dr. Mann has contributed to scholarly literature, publishing research papers on these subjects. He has held research fellowships at Oxford University, Gdansk University in Poland, and Renmin University in China. Furthermore, he leads the "Israel and the Arab Gulf Program" at the Abba Eban Institute. Dr. Mann's expertise extends to his involvement in various research projects related to machine-learning technologies aimed at assessing security and geopolitical risks.

Gedaliah, Reichman University

Dr. Gedaliah Afterman is the Head of the Asia Policy Program at the Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and International Relations and a lecturer at Reichman University and Tel Aviv University. His work focuses on Asian regional security, Chinese foreign policy, and issues related to superpower competition and the growing role of middle powers in Asia and the Middle East. He previously served as an International Strategic Policy Specialist at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) focused on Asian regional security issues and as a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, where he worked on issues related to China’s foreign policy, including the Middle East. He was also a Fellow and China Program Lead at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) in Jerusalem. Gedaliah holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Religious Thought from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a PhD from The University of Melbourne.

Arnon Bersson, Reichman University

Mr. Arnon Bersson is a researcher in the fields of Middle East energy security and geopolitics with a focus on the Arab Gulf States. He has years of experience working in the US stock market and commodity trading, conducting market research with a broad background in geopolitics and energy sector market analysis. Mr. Bersson worked as a researcher and analyst for several Israeli companies in the Hi-tech and energy industries. He is a frequent contributor to the "Israel and the Arab Gulf Program” at the Abba Eban Institute. Arnon holds a B.A in Political Science and Middle-Eastern Studies as well as a Master's degree in Middle-Eastern Studies from Bar-Ilan University in Israel. He earned his BA in political science and Middle Eastern Studies and his MA in Middle Eastern Studies from Bar Ilan University, Israel.