Israel’s national security adviser said the road to establishing ties with Saudi Arabia was “still long”, despite increased efforts by the US to facilitate a formal relationship between the two long-term adversaries.

US president Joe Biden sent one of his closest advisers to the Saudi capital last week to discuss the topic, and said during a meeting with US campaign donors on Friday that “a rapprochement [is] maybe under way”. It was the second trip by a US official to Riyadh in a matter of weeks.

In an interview with Israel’s public broadcaster on Monday, Tzachi Hanegbi said a full agreement was not currently under discussion, but that Israel had been “positively surprised a few months ago when the White House?.?.?.?said it was exerting efforts to reach a deal with the Saudis”.