Saudi Crown Prince MBS calls on Israel to stop attacking Iran
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has called on Israel to stop attacking Iran amid warming relations with the fellow Islamic nation, according to TheArabWeekly and agencies.
During an Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on November 11th, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler signaled in a speech his intent to strengthen ties with Iran.
MBS called on the international community to pressure Israel to “respect the sovereignty of the sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran and not to violate its lands”.
Earlier in the summit, he condemned the “genocide” committed by Israel against Palestinians – his strongest words yet against the Netanyahu government.
The comments mark a stark departure from Riyadh’s previous foreign policy, only last year flirting with the idea of recognising Israel in exchange for deeper ties with the US.
Since the war in Gaza, the Israel normalisation and US security pact talks have continued slowly but now hinge on Israel’s recognition of Palestinian national rights.
MBS said in September the kingdom would not recognise Israel unless a Palestinian state were created.
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Sunni Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia and Shia-majority Iran have often found themselves in the past on opposing sides of regional conflicts.
However, Riyadh’s new rapprochement with Iran could help the kingdom solve the conflict in Yemen and free up resources for its ambitious domestic projects.
The realignment is another signature manoeuvre from the MBS, who has taken a more conciliatory approach to regional diplomacy in recent years.
MBS’s appeal follows the election of Donald Trump in US which has stoked fears of greater alignment between Washington and Israel.
However, Trump in his second term will have to deal with a reshaped diplomatic landscape, typified by this new development.
Riyadh’s adjustment of its relations with Iran is likely to carry ripple effects on the rest of the region as many of the Arab Gulf countries often taken their policy cues from Saudi Arabia.
H A Hellyer, Middle East expert at the Royal United Services Institute said: “Clearly Riyadh and Tehran are warming their relationship, and this is a very different regional environment as compared to when Trump was last in office.”
“Trump may want to expand the Abraham Accords when he takes office next year, but unless Israel changes tack drastically in the region, that’s going to (be) fraught with many more challenges than last time.”
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The Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh also saw Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan call on the Islamic world to press for an arms embargo on Israel, according to Levantis.me.
On November 10th, Fidan said Turkiye’s initiative at the UN to stop arms transfers to Israel has received the support of 52 countries, including permanent members of the UN Security Council.
What is lacking, he said, is not determination or moral ground for the Palestinian cause but coercive actions.
Other means are available he pointed out, such as halting trade with Israel or intervening in the ongoing genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
He also highlighted the threats to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, made by Israel’s far-right politicians who have openly expressed their intention to change its historical status quo.
This situation is a matter of concern not only for Palestinians but for all Muslims, he stressed.
TheArabWeekly, Levantis.me and agencies
