A Saudi citizen reportedly donated to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Saudi citizen's move came at a time of shared interest that may possibly push Saudi Arabia and Israel to work in cooperation in the region.

"Thanks to Allah that my right was paid back… On this pleasant occasion, I announce donating this money to the charities which build Israeli settlements in the West Bank," he wrote on his Twitter account, as reported by the Middle East Monitor.

Saudi Arabia and Israel have recently signaled closer cooperation against regional rival Iran. Increased tension between Tehran and Riyadh has fueled speculation that shared interests may push Saudi Arabia and Israel to work together against what they see as a common Iranian threat. As part of the Saudi-Israeli alliance, Riyadh opened its airspace for the first time to a commercial flight to Israel last month, which an Israeli official hailed as historic following two years of efforts. In November 2017, an Israeli cabinet member disclosed covert contacts with Saudi Arabia, a rare acknowledgment of long-rumored secret dealings that Riyadh still denies.

Saudi King Salman will hand over the throne to his son Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, as he is old, ill and currently unable to function as the sole authority. The 32-year-old crown prince is known to be strongly anti-Iranian and has a good relationship with Israel. In 2018 the crown prince defended the right of both Palestinians and Israelis to a homeland in an interview with U.S.-based magazine, The Atlantic. In 2017, The Times reported that the Israelis and Saudis were conducting negotiations to establish economic ties. Quoting Arab and American sources, the paper said the two countries are going to allow their businesses to operate.