Anger as Saudi and Israeli officials meet in Jerusalem

Israel's Foreign Ministry says a senior official has met with a visiting former military general from Saudi Arabia. The meeting marks a rare public engagement between countries that have no official relations.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said on Sunday that Director General Dore Gold met with Anwar Eshki at a Jerusalem hotel.

Eshki currently heads a Saudi think tank in Jeddah but is believed to have close ties with the kingdom's rulers.

Official government permission was likely necessary for him to make such an overt visit.

Saudi Arabia has floated a plan for a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

It has unofficially grown closer to Israel in recent years over their shared concerns regarding Iran.

Eshki's visit has drawn much criticism back home in Saudi Arabia with many prominent figures taking to Twitter to condemn the move.

Twitter Post

Translation: "Two years ago Eshki was praising Israel and now he's gone and visited! You should just apply for asylum and live there or in greater Kurdistan… isn't that your vision."

Twitter Post

Translation: "Eshki has visited the Zionist entity with a delegation of academics and businessmen. History does not forget traitors and Jerusalem will testify against you."​