Saudi Crown Prince Calls for End of War in Gaza, Lebanon
Facts
- Speaking at a summit for Arab and Muslim leaders on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that Israel must end its campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon, and criticized Israeli attacks on Iran, in his strongest remarks since the war began.[1][2]
- MBS claimed that Israeli actions in Gaza amount to genocide. Assembled leaders cited torture, executions, disappearances, and “ethnic cleansing' in a closing statement that called for a Palestinian state encompassing Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Israel has denied committing abuses in Gaza.[1][2]
- Saudi Arabia was moving toward normalization with Israel before the war, but its crown prince has recently said this was 'off the table' in the absence of Palestinian statehood. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected such a demand.[3]
- These comments come as Israeli forces continue to launch offensives in Gaza, with tanks advancing into the Nuseirat refugee camp on Monday. Israeli attacks killed at least 20 people in Nuseirat, including some in a tent encampment, according to Gaza health officials.[4]
- On Tuesday, Israeli strikes targeted alleged Hezbollah command centers, weapons production sites, and additional infrastructure in Beirut's southern suburbs, while a Hezbollah attack on northern Israel killed two in Nahariya.[5][6]
- Meanwhile, Netanyahu has released a video message addressed to the Iranian people, saying that a third Iranian attack on Israel would 'cripple Iran’s economy.' Iran threatened to strike Israel again, after retaliatory strikes on Iranian air defense batteries and military sites last month.[7]
Sources: [1]BBC, [2]Al Jazeera, [3]CNN, [4]Reuters, [5]New York Times, [6]Timesofisrael (a) and [7]Timesofisrael (b).
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Alarabiya. As the leading Muslim country in the world, Saudi Arabia has a duty and responsibility to stand up for the rights of the Palestinian people, who are facing genocide in Gaza. Additionally, Saudi Arabia also stands firm on its position that a cease-fire must be reached in Lebanon. Hopefully, the incoming Trump administration will work with its allies in the region to end this terrible war.
- Narrative B, as provided by Jerusalem Post. Israel cannot take its Arab allies for granted and must act wisely regarding how it conducts itself in this war. The relationships Israel has formed with countries like Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia are critical to Israel's strategic position in the region, and thus some sort of resolution to the Palestinian question must be achieved.
- Narrative C, as provided by Middle East Eye. The only reason bin Salman is talking tough about Israel is because he is afraid of losing his legitimacy with the Saudi people, especially the youth. The crown prince reportedly told the US that he doesn't care about Palestine or Palestinians, but is worried about internal backlash. Saudi Arabia's support of Palestine is rhetorical only.