A major regional infrastructure project — the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) — is paving the way for deeper economic cooperation and indirect normalisation between Saudi Arabia and the Zionist entity, amid Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ongoing policy of forging alliances with the occupiers of Palestine.
In September 2023, a coalition of nations announced the launch of the IMEC project, aimed at connecting energy markets between India and Europe through Saudi Arabia, utilising a network of pipelines, railways, and ports.
Despite the absence of official diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, the overland transport corridor opens a window for indirect collaboration and future opportunities for integrating commercial and energy transportation routes — including potential oil transport through the Red Sea.
Israeli security official and retired general Amir Avivi recently raised what he described as a “priority” issue: solidifying Israel’s role as a major player in the global energy market through cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
In his article, Avivi called for the connection of Israel’s Eilat–Ashkelon Pipeline (EAPC) to Saudi Arabia’s Petroline system via the Red Sea — a move he claimed would reduce dependence on the Suez Canal, circumvent threats posed by the Yemeni resistance (the Houthis), diversify export routes, and lay a crucial foundation for economic normalisation between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
IMEC: A Gateway for the Abraham Accords’ Expansion
The IMEC project is not a new proposal but rather a continuation of one of the strategic pillars envisioned under the Abraham Accords — the controversial normalisation agreements between Israel and several Arab states, which Mohammed bin Salman reportedly supported covertly.
From its inception, the Abraham Accords included promises of facilitating energy transport from Saudi Arabia through Israel and onto the Mediterranean.
Reports as early as 2020 suggested the potential connection of Israel’s oil terminal at occupied Eilat to Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu refinery, either via a 700-kilometre land pipeline or through maritime oil transport.
Following its normalisation agreement with Israel, the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding that allowed Emirati oil to flow through the Red Sea to Ashkelon via Israel’s EAPC pipeline, and from there to Europe and the Black Sea markets.
According to reporting by Israel Hayom, plans were even discussed to link the UAE’s Shaybah–Baqa pipeline with Saudi Arabia’s Petroline network — with the prospect of Qatar also joining by connecting its natural gas fields to the network, enabling energy flows toward Israel through Saudi territory.
Political Pressure and Economic Temptations
Political figures such as Zionist U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham have openly lobbied to push Saudi Arabia further into the normalisation track with Israel.
Graham and others have argued that the elimination of Palestinian resistance, particularly Hamas, is a prerequisite for achieving Saudi-Israeli normalisation.
In this vision, sidelining Hamas would not only serve Israel’s geopolitical interests but also align with Mohammed bin Salman’s economic ambitions — particularly his Vision 2030 project — by opening massive investment opportunities in energy, transport, and technology sectors tied to new regional corridors.
In this framework, Saudi oil, UAE pipelines, and potentially Qatari gas would flow seamlessly toward Israeli ports such as Ashkelon — just north of Gaza — embedding economic normalisation under the guise of regional development and trade, while entrenching the occupation’s dominance over Arab lands.
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