Saudi Arabian Prince To Build Tel Aviv Hotel?

Despite heading the worlds best known Islamic theocracy's, it seems as if the Saudi Arabian prince is making plans to build a hotel in one of Israel's largest metropolis.

Is it me, or is the middle east getting weirder by the day? (I mean in a good, kosher type of way)

(Israel Today) Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal plans to invest into Israel as he is in negotiations to build a hotel on Tel Aviv's coastline.

Bin Talal already has two architects working on the project. One is Basel al-Beiti, the prince’s private architect who has experience in designing oriental hotels around the world. The other architect is former Tel Aviv Chief City Engineer, Yisrael Gudovich. [...]

According to recent blueprints submitted to the Tel Aviv Municipality, the hotel is to be an eight-story, 150-room complex on the Mediterranean Sea.

Bin Talal is the nephew of the late Saudi King Faisal, and is believed to be worth $26.4 billion.

It would probably be a hotel for the "rich and famous," although I would love to catch a photo of the hotel when its done. The prince seems to be more "pragmatic" than his religious counterparts, although I pray his venture would lead towards greater diplomatic ties between the two nations in the future.

Do You Prefer Israeli Or Plastic?

Despite being surrounded by hostile neighbors, Israel seems to be doing very well exporting plastics products to its Arabian cousins next store. Could demand for simple plastics be that high?

(Israel National News) Exports of Israeli plastic and rubber products to Arab countries in 2006 were up 10 percent over the previous year, totalling US $48 million, according to Dr. Ilan Tessler, chairman of the Society of Israel Plastics and Rubber Industry in the Manufacturers Association of Israel.

Ironically, the list of countries ranges from neighboring Jordan, Egypt, UAE, Garfield's Abu Dhabi and even Saudi Arabia.

Despite many opposition parties expressing outrage over the discovery of increasing economic ties with the Hebrews, perhaps this is a sign that the middle east is changing for the better.

Reposted on IsraPundit.