Israeli ambassador slams criticism of Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi murder

Israel's US ambassador Ron Dermer has slammed almost universal criticial of Saudi Arabia following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi last month.

Riyadh has faced increased scrutiny since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October.

Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post who was living in self-imposed exile, was reportedly choked to death by Saudi operatives who later cut up his remains and dissolved them in acid, Turkish officials say.

"It is hard for me to take seriously statements of outrage that (the murder) caused and the calls for a fundamental change to the relationship with Saudi Arabia, when (the same people) supported an agreement that gave an avowed enemy of the US (Iran) hundreds of billions of dollars," Dermer said during a recent panel discussion.

Dermer also aimed shots at Turkey and Qatar for allegedly attempting to drive a wedge between Washington and Riyadh.

"Turkey and Qatar are pressing hard to ruin relationships with Saudi Arabia," he added, while also criticising Doha-based news outlet Al-Jazeera and cautioning the US against throwing away its "strategic relationship" with Saudi Arabia.

The ambassador's comments follow newly-emboldened efforts between Gulf states and Saudi Arabia to increase ties. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made a surprise visit to Oman, which was followed up by a visit of a top Israeli minister to the sultanate.

In the same week, Israeli sports minister Miri Regev visited the UAE to attend an event where Emirtai authorities allowed an Israeli team to compete under the team's national flag for the first time in the Gulf state.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has been accused by observers of covertly increasing cooperation with Israel, despite the two countries having no official diplomatic ties.

Last month, Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE are part of a multi-national intelligence force, based in Jordan's capital.

The task force is constituted of intelligence personnel and special units from 21 countries, who are sharing intelligence information related to the militant organisation, said Yossi Melman, Maariv's intelligence correspondent, quoting the French website Intelligence Online.

Earlier this year, Israel's ambassador to Egypt praised Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, describing him as a partner of Israel in a speech that lauded the "change in Arab countries' treatment towards Israel".

Prince Mohammed, 33, has taken increased control in Saudi Arabia during a period that has been marked by open animosity towards former ally Qatar, a disastrous war in Yemen, and and apparent warming of ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.