Saudis Re-Routing Key IMEC Rail Line via Syria To Avoid Israel?

The Saudis are looking to bypass Israel on the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), according to the Jerusalem Post (JP). The September 2023 proposal by the U.S. at the G20 Summit in New Delhi was conceived as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road, to entice India more to the West. Key to the proposal were rail lines from Saudi Arabia through Jordan to the Israeli port of Haifa, enabling a trade route for India and Saudi Arabia to Europe. Later, a part of IMEC was incorporated into Trump’s Gaza deal, with rumors of a port in or near Gaza.