RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 29 (UPI) -- The Saudi Health Ministry is investigating the possibility of infiltration of medical equipment manufactured in Israel to the Saudi market.
Saudi daily al-Watan said the ministry opened a nationwide probe ordered by the higher echelons in the government about the suspected infiltration through a third party.
Ministry sources said the Saudi market is at the top of a list targeted by Israeli products through an intermediate, quoting employees in Riyadh hospitals as saying that they were surprised to seek medical equipment bearing the insignia of "made in Israel."
A source at the ministry of trade and industry said Saudi Arabia announced last year that it cancelled the boycott of Israel of second and third degrees in line with a decision taken at a Gulf summit, grouping the six-oil rich Arab Gulf countries.
But he said the boycott of the first degree was maintained and was not linked to Saudi Arabia's entry to the World Trade Organization.
Second and Third degrees targeted companies which had Israeli shares as well as those which had dealings with Israel. First degree boycott covered Israeli-made products.
Saudi Arabia joined the WTO last November after negotiations that lasted for more than 12 years.
