Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose charmed offensive with the rich, powerful and the glamorous ongoing two-week tour of the United States is being closely watched, has sparked controversy in the Arab region by his reported meetings with pro-Israeli US Jewish organizations, according to a leaked copy of his itinerary that was first accessed by The Independent.

Mohammed, also known as MBS, reportedly held conversations this week with heads of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, B’nai B’rith International and the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post reported, citing the 36-page itinerary.

While the reports suggested that the details of the “strictly off-the-record” meetings remain largely under wraps, even the mention of the Crown Prince holding parleys with the Jewish community marks a turning point in the relationship between the Middle Eastern nations that do not share official diplomatic ties and have traditionally been on the opposite sides of the fence on regional issues.

The engagements also indicate a thawing of Saudi-Israeli ties as predicted by some Middle East observers in recent times. Analysts say both the nations are getting closer due to their common fears about Iran’s growing regional influence.

Jewish leaders told The Jerusalem Post that they saw Mohammed’s reaching out to their community in the US as a sign he is serious about warming relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. However, Mohammed’s decision was seen as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause by some analysts and Arab and Iranian media.

Qatar-based Al Jazeera television network branded the Jewish groups that engaged with the Saudi Crown Prince as “right-wing organizations” accusing them of seeking to “stifle” BDS (the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions), which Al Jazeera described as a non-violent movement that seeks to economically pressure Israel into providing equal rights and a right of return to Palestinians.

Additionally, Iran’s Press TV claimed that the pro-Israeli Jewish groups donated millions to the Israeli regime “to advance its expansionist policies and construct more illegal settler units on occupied Palestinian territories.”

Mahjoob Zweiri, the director of the Gulf Studies Programme at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that Mohammed’s US visit was "a PR campaign aimed to represent a new face of the kingdom to the US, one that was flexible and willing to change."

"There was an old understanding from Arab leaders that the gates for Washington, DC are guarded by pro-Israeli leaders. This includes business leaders, groups such as AIPAC and others linked to Israel," he said. "MBS is following that trend, he's trying to court the US and show them that he supports their plan for Israel-Palestine and their decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.”

The Crown Prince reportedly visited Israel “secretly” last year and also backed recognizing Jerusalem as the Israeli capital while nudging the Palestinians to accept Abu Dis, a suburban village outside East Jerusalem, as the future capital of Palestine, in support of a US-sponsored peace plan, according to media reports. 

The leaked document also mentioned other high-profile individuals whom the Crown Prince is thought to have either met or will meet during the remaining of his much-publicized trip.

“His itinerary is packed with America’s best, brightest and most influential,” The Independent wrote, adding: “America’s great and good from the worlds of politics, business, oil, entertainment and tech are queueing up to meet the immensely powerful Crown Prince.”

Besides his official engagements with US President Donald Trump and his administration, Mohammed’s schedule included calls on three former presidents: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

On Tuesday, the Crown Prince was believed to have met  Bill and Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of States Henry Kissinger, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and businessman and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.

He will also meet former Secretary of State John Kerry, General David Petraeus and Condoleezza Rice, as well as pay a visit to George W. Bush's Texas ranch, according to the itinerary.

US media mogul Oprah Winfrey, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Tesla chief Elon Musk and entrepreneur and venture capitalist Peter Thiel also made it to the list.

Current government officials on the Crown Prince's schedule included nominee for new US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence, senior adviser and unofficial Middle East envoy Jared Kushner, outgoing National Security Adviser HR McMaster and Defence Secretary James Mattis.

[Cover Photo: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) meets with Bloomberg founder and former NYC mayor Michael A. Bloomberg (second from right) at a cafe in New York, US, March 29, 2018. /VCG Photo]