Saudi Arabia Allowed Israelis to Compete in Dakar Rally: Report

(Bloomberg) --

Saudi Arabia allowed 10 to 15 Israelis into the country to participate in the Dakar Rally, some of them entering on the basis of their Israeli passports, Israel’s Army Radio reported.

According to the report, two Israeli teams participated in the race: a truck team competed under a U.S. flag, and a vehicle team was registered as Belgian. The off-road Dakar Rally ended on Jan. 15.

The report didn’t say how many participants entered on Israeli passports.

The Saudi media ministry’s Center for International Communication did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said last month the kingdom would only establish relations with Israel after the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, ties between the two countries have warmed somewhat in recent years over a shared distrust of Iran. Since September, Israeli airlines have been allowed to cross through Saudi airspace on a regular basis, shattering a 72-year taboo.

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