Incident reveals Arab hypocrisy on religious openness while Israel alone guarantees Jewish life and dignity.
The self-appointed chief rabbi of Saudi Arabia, Rabbi Jacob Herzog, revealed last week that he was denied entry into the kingdom despite holding a valid visa—an incident highlighting the fragile and conditional nature of religious tolerance in the Gulf state.
In a post on X, Herzog said he was barred upon arrival, even though he had spent years traveling between Jerusalem and Saudi Arabia while serving Jewish visitors and residents. While Saudi Arabia has no officially recognized Jewish community, Herzog had positioned himself as a religious contact point for Jewish businesspeople, diplomats, and tourists quietly operating within the kingdom.
Herzog expressed pain at being separated from the small Jewish population he said lived discreetly under Saudi rule, praising the Saudi people while suggesting the decision did not originate from the Royal Court. Instead, he hinted at “dark forces” within the system seeking to obstruct reform and openness—an implicit admission that institutional antisemitism remains deeply embedded.
Saudi Arabia officially bars Israeli passport holders, but Herzog’s dual US-Israeli citizenship had previously allowed him limited access. His rejection comes amid deteriorating relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, particularly following the October 7 Hamas massacre and the ongoing ceasefire tensions.
Despite repeated encouragement from US President Donald Trump to normalize relations with Israel, Saudi leaders continue to condition any agreement on Palestinian statehood—effectively granting veto power to rejectionist Palestinian factions. Former intelligence chief Prince Turki bin Faisal recently reiterated that normalization would only follow Israel’s “acceptance” of international demands, a standard not imposed on Arab states themselves.
The irony is stark: while Herzog marketed kosher food and offered religious services quietly online, Saudi law still forbids public worship of any religion other than Islam. In 2024, even a US religious-freedom delegation was cut short after a rabbi was told to remove his kippah in public.
The episode underscores a broader truth. While Arab regimes market “reform” abroad, Jewish life remains tolerated only when invisible. In contrast, Israel stands alone in the region as the only state where Jewish identity is not merely permitted—but protected, public, and permanent.
