Let them stay in the seventh century.

Another sign that Saudi Arabia is certainly not ready to talk or write openly about Israel and Jewry - not in a bad way - not mentioning the (diplomatic) recognition of Israel. The Saudi royals and Wahabis, a group that can be compared with the Salafis, were a long time ago related to each other via marriages. They support the Muslim Brotherhood financially,... Maybe a fraction within the Saudi royal family supports a regularization with Israel and to avoid a turmoil in Saudi Arabia, they published Teitelbaum's book via a publishing house, based in Dubai. A false start, but nevertheless a start. We'll see!

Ties between Israel and the Saudis are a hell of a lot closer than what appears publicly. I don't know why they prefer not to be open about it; I doubt that they are afraid of internal disorder, because they are not shy about beheading anyone who disrupts the order of their tightly-controlled society. And everyone knows that the Saudis depend on Israel to keep Iran at bay. They're trying to clothe a glass box.

That is exactly the kind of polemic a "Smart Nation" ought to induce. I allude to the contreversial article about the Pope and the Misdeaminour Art Of Unwra. Who cares, it became an item of contention when you expose it, otherwise it dyes on the floor of mediocrety. On the other hand this article create a potential of mutual appreciation.

in most scenarios the ending is "my friend" but in this case Saudi arabia is not and never will be a friend but Israel and Saudi Arabia do have a common foe- IRAN. Behind closed doors stuff happens.

I agree with the last paragraph. Also I read there are secret contacts between Israel and Saudi officials. I understand you: why they don't be open about it? But, the Saudi dynasty are the keepers or protectors of Mecca and Medina. The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) argues that in fact the Hashemites (nowadays the Jordan king) - they are the real descendants of Mohammed - has to be the protectors of those Islamic sanctuaries, but because Saudi Arabia is a very strict religious Sunni state and have the money from the oil wells the MB agree to accept the Saudis as the protectors of Mecca,... but they want - and the Saudis do it - their financial support for their movement and their (violent) actions. So, Hamas, the MB in Syria,... are largely support by the Saudis. It takes time to become more open towards the not Sunni world and especially towards Israel. The Saudi royals remember what was happening to Sadat!

which they consider to be infidels, and replacement by violent Islamists.

"One surfer wrote: "This is a new Arabic betrayal. I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation demands the rights of our Israeli brothers." This sums up Islamic mindset very well.

If translation of a book of an Israeli is considered such a violation in the Arab world and "normalization".... what do they call it when Saudi lawmakers commented on the beauty of women voted into the Israeli Knesset a couple years back?

The book was published in Arabic and in Saudi Arabia, that could only have occurred had the regime acquiesced to that. Perhaps, when reading it, certain centers of power in "The Kingdom" found the book's analysis worthwhile. In any event, no attempt was made to recall the book or censor it. I agree that this sort of reaction is a negative phenomena but, nevertheless, how is this on "Saudi Arabia?" Clearly the government is as interested in what this Israeli researcher has to say as anyone else, and is interested in having its citizens and other education be familiar with such views.