When dealing with our Saudi friends, show a little tact - opinion

• Published date: 16 March 2024
• Author: BOBBY RECHNITZ
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

That means that sometimes it is better not to speak

I thought of this parable following the recent episode involving US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) chair Rabbi Abraham Cooper, who was reportedly asked to remove his kippah while visiting Diriyah, a historic town in Saudi Arabia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As an Orthodox Jew, I stand by the right of any Jew, or any religious individual, who refuses to remove an item of religious clothing or identification. It is Rabbi Cooper's right to refuse and even send a letter or message of complaint to his Saudi hosts about the bad and offensive behavior of the local bureaucrat who made the demand.

However, while that is acceptable and even preferable behavior, his decision to then run to the international media and embarrass his well-intentioned Saudi hosts was another thing entirely.

Saudi Arabia's transformation is a long-term revolution

Firstly, Rabbi Cooper and the rest of the delegation were in Saudi Arabia specifically to oversee the Saudi Vision 2030, a vision formulated by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) which aims to open up the kingdom to greater global engagement and tolerance.

It is a long-term revolution of an extremely conservative society, that is making leaps and bounds towards greater rights for women and minorities, with increased outreach to world religions and new regional partners.

It was not too long ago that openly identified Jews were not allowed in Saudi Arabia, and there was even a question on religious affiliation on visa entry applications. Now, Jews are warmly welcomed, and there is a Jewish community center in Riyadh led by a rabbi, who states that he walks around the whole country and is welcomed in his traditional ultra-Orthodox Jewish garb.

Additionally, as an IMPACT-SE review from last year showed, enmity toward Jews that used to be contained in Saudi Arabia school textbooks has been almost completely ripped out by the authorities.

Secondly, the recent thawing of relations between Saudi Arabia and the Jewish State is unprecedented and paradigm-changing.

Not only did the kingdom give the essential seal of approval to the Abraham Accords and Israel's normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, it has openly welcomed Israeli government ministers and allowed Israeli planes flyover rights across the kingdom's territory.

There are even many commentators who suggest that the Hamas...