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| Arabia |
| Saudi royal says Israel ‘genocidal,’ hopes Netanyahu will be brought before ICC |
| 2024-12-09 |
| [IsraelTimes] Speaking in Bahrain, Prince Turki Al Faisal also calls on Trump to bring peace to Middle East, citing his ‘strong mandate’ from American voters A senior Saudi royal termed Israel “genocidal” and an “apartheid” state on Saturday, and also that he hoped Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Speaking at the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain, Prince Turki Al Faisal, …who has never forgiven Israel for rejecting the off-the-cuff proposal by New York Times columnist Tom Friedman that Israel trade peace with the Palestinians for retreat behind the pre-1967 borders. He also apparently approved of the Hamas eruption of 10/7/2023, though his own career has been the soft jihad of diplomacy. It will be interesting to see what position he and the future King MBS evolve to once they see where President Trump lands on the question… Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief for over two decades, also called on incoming US President-elect Donald Trump to bring peace to the Middle East.His comments follow increasingly tough statements from Saudi officials since talks were paused on a potential normalization of ties with Israel after the start of the Gaza war. All pronounced back when a second Biden term was a sure thing, followed by the sure thing that was to be Kamala Harris… “Israel today, according to international human rights groups, is not only an apartheid colonial state, but it is also a genocidal one,” Prince Turki said.“It is committing genocide on the people of Gaza.” Yeah, yeah. Tell it to the Marines, bud. Oh, sorry — Your royal high budness. He added: “It’s about time for the world to… take the necessary steps to bring those who are charged by the International Criminal Court to justice.”Good luck with that. You’ve got a few more weeks before that point is pointless. The ICC’s judges issued the warrants last month for Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant on charges that Israel has targeted civilians in its war against Hamas in Gaza and used starvation as a method of war — both claims vehemently denied by Israel.Israel is also not a member of the ICC, has firmly rejected the allegations against it and its leaders, and has rejected the court’s jurisdiction. Saudi’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also accused Israel of genocide, at a joint Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit in Riyadh last month. He told Arab and Muslim leaders gathered to press for the establishment of a Palestinian state that the kingdom renewed “its condemnation and categorical rejection of the genocide committed by Israel against the brotherly Palestinian people, which has claimed the lives of 150,000 martyrs, wounded and missing, most of whom are women and children.” Huh? Where on earth did that number come from — the latest variation of the 1, 2, many approach to counting? Amnesty International leveled the same charge of genocide this week in a new report that was dismissed by Israel as “fabricated” and “based on lies.” It was also dismissed by the organization’s local branch, Amnesty Israel, and by Germany and the US.Prince Turki, also a former Saudi ambassador to the US, said Trump’s “strong mandate” from American voters “could enable him to provide the statesmanship that is highly needed in the world. “Friendly countries in the region are hoping that Mr. Trump pursues what he started before, to bring peace with capital letters to the Middle East,” he said. “It is time for America, under your presidency, to change the course of this troubled region,” he added. During Trump’s first administration, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco signed the Abraham Accords recognizing Israel, a break with the long-held Arab consensus that there should be no ties without the creation of a Palestinian state. However, Riyadh has also moved to patch up ties with Iran after a March 2023 rapprochement deal brokered by China, reshaping the diplomatic landscape. Do you suppose the Saudi leadership still thinks that move is clever today, dear Reader? Related: Prince Turki Al Faisal 07/01/2006 Free Saudi Gitmo cons, ambassador sez Prince Turki Al Faisal 04/24/2006 Update to the Osama-on-the-border story Prince Turki Al Faisal 04/24/2006 ‘Osama hiding in Afghanistan along Pakistan borderÂ’ Related: Mohammed bin Salman 12/04/2024 June conference chaired by France and Saudis will aim to make two-state solution relevant again Mohammed bin Salman 11/12/2024 At Riyadh summit, Saudi crown prince backs Iran, accuses Israel of genocide Mohammed bin Salman 10/25/2024 Special counsel to probe whether Jared Kushner was functioning as Saudi foreign agent — US lawmakers |
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