image source, Reuters
- Author, Frank Gardner and Hafsa Khalil
- role, BBC News
-
3 hours ago
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman condemned Israel‘s actions in Gaza as “genocide” in one of the harshest public criticisms of Israel by a Saudi official since the start of the war.
Speaking at an extraordinary Arab and Islamic summit, the prince also condemned Israel’s attacks on sites in Lebanon, Gaza and Iran.
As a sign of improved relations between Riyadh and Tehran, he warned Israel not to launch attacks on Iranian soil.
Other leaders present joined the Saudi Crown Prince in calling for Israel’s complete withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza.
At the same time, the Saudi Foreign Minister said that the failure to stop the war in Gaza represents “the failure of the international community,” accusing Israel of causing famine in the region.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said: “The international community has not ended the conflict immediately and stopped the Israeli attack.”
The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which hundreds of terrorists entered southern Israel. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were kidnapped.
Israel responded by launching a military campaign to destroy Hamas, during which more than 43,400 people were killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
A report by the UN Human Rights Office concluded that nearly 70 percent of victims confirmed over six months in Gaza were women and children.
Leaders at the summit also condemned what they described as “continued attacks by Israel” against UN staff and facilities in Gaza.
Last month, the Knesset passed a bill to ban UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, from working in Israel and living in East Jerusalem, accusing the agency of they were fighting with Hamas.
Many countries, including the United States and Great Britain, expressed great concern about this move, which limits the group’s ability to move aid to Gaza.
The summit came against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Gulf leaders are aware of Trump’s closeness to Israel, but they also have good relations with him, and want him to use his influence and passion for concluding agreements to ensure the end of put on the conflicts in this region.
In Saudi Arabia, Trump is viewed more favorably than Joe Biden, but his record in the Middle East is questionable.
Trump was pleased with Israel and angered the Islamic world by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and annexing the Golan Heights. He also succeeded in establishing the Abraham Accords in 2020, under which the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco established full diplomatic relations with Israel, and Sudan also agreed to a similar step.
An editorial in one of the main Saudi newspapers today was headlined: “New era of hope Trump’s return and promise of stability.”
2024-11-12 01:10:00
#Saudi #Crown #Prince #Israel #committing #racism #Gaza
