RIYADH, April 4: Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it was seeking the release of a Saudi man held in Israel but Israel said he was seeking asylum after entering the Jewish state illegally. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al Faisal told reporters that Riyadh had contacted international organisations, including the Red Cross, about the man.

In Israel, a spokeswoman for the country’s Prison Service said: “He is actually not a prisoner but an illegal infiltrator into Israel. He has been with us for 11 months.”

The spokeswoman named him as Abdul-Rahman al-Atawi and said he was seeking asylum through the United Nations. The Red Cross was also believed to be involved.

“What I know about him is that ... the U.N. is attempting to place him in a country for absorption and not return him to Saudi.

“I understand attempts have been made to get him asylum in Turkey, Jordan, Sweden and Finland without any success,” she said.

The spokeswoman said the man was believed to be the only Saudi held in Israel.—Reuters