In what was considered to be a historic move, Israel co-sponsored a Saudi resolution against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad at the United Nations Human Rights Council for the first time. Ahead of the vote, the Syrian representative congratulated his Saudi counterpart for the fact that Israel had joined the list of co-sponsors, saying it was a demonstration of the secret alliance between the two countries. Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said in response that “The Assad regime, with full support from Iran, has been slaughtering its people mercilessly and with incomprehensible cruelty for years. Israel, which for years has been providing humanitarian aid to Syrian civilians hurt by these atrocities, stands together with the international community against this murderous regime.”
The resolution, which was also co-sponsored by the United States, France and Germany, passed with 108 countries voting in favor, 17 against and 58 abstaining.
It is important to note that while Israel has in the past supported similar resolutions, including those submitted by Saudi Arabia, it has never co-sponsored such a resolution alongside Riyadh, which portrays the growing relations between the two regional powers.