Israel conflict: Saudi crown prince assures unwavering support to Palestine
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman promised to stand for the Palestinian people's legitimate rights amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, Saudi state media reported on Tuesday. During a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, MbS discussed the ongoing crisis in and around Gaza and the threat to regional stability. Meanwhile, the death toll since renewed clashes following Palestinian group Hamas's surprise Saturday attack on Israel has crossed 1,600, including 700 on the Palestinian side and around 900 in Israel.
Why does this story matter?
This comes amid speculations about Saudi Arabia's potential normalization of ties with Israel. Notably, the United States (US) has brokered talks between Saudi and Israel, apparently to join forces against Iran, which reportedly helped Hamas plan the Saturday attack. Reportedly, Iran sought to disrupt the talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel, even by setting aside its ongoing conflict with the former in Yemen. In March, China facilitated talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, following which they agreed to mend ties.
Bin Salman discussed situation with Egypt, Jordan's leaders
Bin Salman and Abbas reportedly discussed preventing an expansion of the ongoing conflict and achieving "just and lasting peace." MbS also discussed the crisis over phone calls with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II. Notably, Saudi Arabia is home to Mecca and Medina, Islam's holiest sites, while the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is Islam's third holiest site. Despite efforts toward normalizing relations, Saudi Arabia has never recognized Israel.
Saudi called for 2-state solution
In a recent Fox News interview, MbS said resolving the Palestinian issue was crucial for Saudi. As fresh clashes broke out on Saturday, Saudi appealed to halt the escalation immediately and urged the global community to "activate a credible peace process" for a two-state solution. It recalled its repeated warnings of the conflict's escalation as a "result of the continued occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities."
