Only a couple of weeks back, the US was apparently succeeding in normalising the relationship between Saudi Arabia, arguably the most powerful Muslim country, and Israel. And while Saudi Arabia commenced talks, they made it clear that they will never compromise on their pro-Palestinian stance.
However, the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7 and the consequential escalation has created a gulf between Saudi Arabia and Israel as well as Saudi Arabia and America.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been visiting the Arab world to persuade them to side with Washington’s narrative on the Israel-Hamas war.
Washington Post has reported that after meeting Egypt’s Abdel Fatah El-Sisi and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Blinken told reporters on Sunday that “I heard a lot of good ideas about some of the things we need to do moving forward.”
However, there came a conflict of views when it came to Israel’s right to wage intensified war in Gaza as both the Arab leaders do not approve of it.
It was further reported that in Riyadh, “the Saudi ruler kept Blinken waiting several hours for a meeting presumed to happen in the evening but which the crown prince only showed up for the next morning.”
While the US is in full support of Israel’s operations in besieged Gaza, El-Sisi and MBS, both stressed on the need for the Israeli forces to stop the attacks.
MBS also stressed on lifting the siege of Gaza that has deprived residents of water, food, electricity and more.
On the other hand, Sisi pointed out that Israel’s attacks have crossed “the right of self-defense,” and turned into “collective punishment.”
And while he condemned Hamas, he blamed Israel for the devastating situation of the Palestinian.
When Blinken brought into conversation his own Jewish heritage, Sisi, who himself grew up with Jew neighbours in Egypt, replied, “You said that you are a Jewish person and I am an Egyptian person who grew up next to Jews in Egypt.They have never been subjected to any form of oppression or targeting and it has never happened in our region that Jews were targeted in recent or old history.”
