As I write this there's a convoy of cargo trucks on the way from the Gulf through Saudi Arabia to Israel in a commercial operation for hot cargo too heavy to fly.
Civilian jets are also flying over Saudi airspace on their way between Israel and many destinations.
Behind the scenes there's considerable commerce underway between the two countries.
And I'm not going to go into other active collaboration.
All of this is without any timeline for a sovereign Palestinian Arab state.
Now some talking heads are suggesting that not such a big deal for there to be yet another timeline for a Palestinian Arab state.
This time one which is tied to the Saudis.
We've ultimately dodged the bullet with other timelines. So, indeed, what's the big deal.
Well, I think it is important that convoys of cargo trucks and civilian jets pass through Saudi Arabia one their way between Israel and other places in the world.
I think it's important that there's considerable commerce. And that active collaboration is certainly important.
But if there's a formal timeline for a sovereign Palestinian Arab State and it is associated with the Saudis, there's a good chance that when that timeline isn't met that the Saudis, due to domestic, regional and even worldwide pressure, find themselves compelled to not only drop whatever additional advancements there were in our relations, but also all of the things I've mentioned above which we had without a timeline.
No timetables please.
Not even one with milestones whose fulfillment we can debate.
For anything we might temporarily gain by a timeline for a sovereign Palestinian Arab state. we have magnitudes more to lose at the end of it.
Dr. Aaron Lerner heads IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis, since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Israel-Arab relations. Website: www.imra.org.il