The Atlantic: The Saudi crown prince said that the Palestinian issue doesn’t concern him

A US report quoted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as saying months ago that he’s not personally accused of the Palestinian issue, in the latest indication of his disregard for this issue, unlike his predecessors in power in Saudi Arabia, and his interest in normalizing relations with Israel.

According to The Atlantic magazine, the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, doesn’t show personal interest in the Palestinian issue, and his efforts to include the issue of the Palestinian state in the potential normalization deal with Israel are only in order to pass it.

Bin Salman’s statements came during his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the Saudi city of al Ula last January.

Mohammed bin Salman, 38, is the crown prince but is seen as the de facto ruler of the country as his father ages and suffers from illness.

Bin Salman said, “He doesn’t personally care about the Palestinian issue, but only about his people.

“70% of my people are younger than me, and they didn’t get to know the Palestinian issue well, except through this conflict (the Gaza war), and therefore what I need is the necessity of Israel’s commitment to the Palestinian state,” he said.

Bin Salman said that he wants Israel to be quiet, adding that he has no problem with Israel launching attacks “to combat terrorism, but within six months or a year, not at the end of the deal,” according to the Atlantic.

Bin Salman hosted Blinken in a tent and he wore a black jacket in the cold weather.

Bin Salman’s statements didn’t appear or appear in any official statements issued by Saudi Arabia and the United States at the time.

For example, the US State Department website states that Blinken and bin Salman discussed ongoing efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, including efforts to deter Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of achieving greater security, prosperity, and integration in the region, including through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The two also discussed the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It’s noteworthy that Bin Salman didn’t mention the Palestinian issue, but rather Blinken was the one who mentioned it.

In contrast, the official Saudi Press Agency reported that opinions were exchanged on developments in regional and international situations and the efforts made towards them to achieve security and stability, especially the latest developments in Gaza and its surroundings and the efforts made regarding them.

Bin Salman said, “The importance of stopping military operations, intensifying more efforts on the humanitarian level, and working to prepare the conditions for the return of stability and the restoration of the peace process in a way that ensures that the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights and achieves a just and lasting peace”.

Just one day before the Gaza war broke out, on October 6, 2023, White House Middle East Coordinator Brett McGurk believed that a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal was within reach, and that President Joe Biden’s administration would succeed where all previous administrations had failed.

McGurk received a number of Saudi diplomats to lay out the blueprint for a Palestinian state, which represents the cornerstone of the grand bargain between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

However, the deal fell through when the US official received a message from his ambassador in Tel Aviv stating that Israel is under attack, which put diplomatic efforts on hold for a while.

In a meeting between Blinken and bin Salman, the latter was unable to contain his concern about anti-government protests, as well as the possibility of a regional war.

In contrast, Blinken had in mind the outlines of a deal with Saudi Arabia, even in light of the Gaza war.

Months later, specifically last January, Blinken arrived in al Ula, where he shocked the US Secretary of State, saying that the Biden administration represented his best opportunity to achieve his plans, including a defense agreement with the United States.

From bin Salman’s point of view, the Biden administration could bring in progressive votes by including a Palestinian state in the deal.

The Saudi people have a different stance to Bin Salman on the Palestinian issue.

A poll conducted by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, which is close to the Israeli lobby in the US capital, showed that 96% of Saudis agree that Arab countries should sever all diplomatic, political and economic ties with Israel.

The survey was conducted between November 14 and December 6, 2023, with a sample of 1,000 Saudi citizens, with 91% of Saudis believed that this war in Gaza is a victory for the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims, despite the destruction and loss of life.