An Atlantic report last week (The War That Would Not End – Inside the year-long American effort to release the hostages, end the fighting in Gaza, and bring peace to the Middle East), quotes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS) as saying, “Do I care personally about the Palestinian issue? I don’t,” thus confirming what so many on the right in Israel and the US have known to be the truth.
In the autumn of 2023, the Biden administration pursued a complex diplomatic initiative in the Middle East. The proposed deal aimed to reshape regional dynamics through a series of interconnected agreements: A mutual defense pact between the United States and Saudi Arabia; US assistance in developing Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear power capabilities; Saudi Arabia’s commitment to maintain the US dollar’s prominence and support American regional interests; and normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel – strengthening US ties with Saudi Arabia while simultaneously advancing the goal of broader Middle Eastern stability and cooperation.
According to a new Atlantic report, the events of October 7 appeared to jeopardize the agreement. Following the attack, when Secretary Blinken met with MBS on January 8, 2024, the crown prince struggled to mask his apprehension regarding the potential for anti-Israel demonstrations in his country and the looming threat of a regional conflict.
During their discussion, MBS surprised Blinken by asserting that the Biden administration offered his greatest opportunity to achieve his objectives. A two-thirds majority in the Senate was required to ratify any defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and the United States, and he was convinced that this could only be accomplished under a Democratic administration. He believed that incorporating the establishment of a Palestinian state into the agreement could secure the support of progressive voters. MBS emphasized the urgency of acting swiftly, as the upcoming November election posed a risk of Trump regaining power.
MBS stated that achieving this goal required stability in Gaza. Blinken inquired whether the Saudis would be able to accept Israel’s occasional reentry into the region to conduct counterterrorism operations. “They can come back in six months, a year, but not on the back end of my signing something like this,” the Crown Prince responded.
And then, according to The Atlantic, MBS, 38, said, “Seventy percent of my population is younger than me. For most of them, they never really knew much about the Palestinian issue. And so, they’re being introduced to it for the first time through this conflict. It’s a huge problem. Do I care personally about the Palestinian issue? I don’t, but my people do, so I need to make sure this is meaningful.”
“Half my advisers say that the deal is not worth the risk,” MBS said. “I could end up getting killed because of this deal.”
The Atlantic suggests that in a later conversation between Blinken and Netanyahu, the Israeli PM said he was still interested in a normalization deal with the Saudis, and said he could “finesse” the establishment of a Palestinian State and reach calm in the Gaza Strip to make the deal a reality.
Following the conclusion of their private discussion, Blinken participated in a cabinet meeting alongside Netanyahu. Instead of aiming to reestablish tranquility, the cabinet ministers were engaged in deliberations regarding strategies to intensify the war. Netanyahu refrained from making any statements to oppose their plans.
Later, Blinken said, “Prime Minister, what we just heard there—it’s not consistent with what we talked about in your office.”
Netanyahu said, “I know. I’m working on it.”
The Atlantic story coincided with this tweet posted by Visegrád 24, an online news outlet that publishes information related to current events, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel–Hamas war. (One of its founders was Polish content creator and advertiser Stefan Tompson): “Saudi Imams are banned from praying for the Palestinians or mentioning them in their supplications in mosques across Saudi Arabia, but especially in Makkah and Madinah.”
Saudi Imams are banned from praying for the Palestinians or mentioning them in their supplications in mosques across Saudi Arabia, but especially in Makkah and Madinah.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 26, 2024
It stands to reason that the Saudi Crown Prince is over his fear of pro-Hamas sympathies in his kingdom.
