Saudi Arabia stops normalisation talks with Israel, demands end to Gaza siege

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has frozen US-mediated normalisation talks between the kingdom and Israel. During a one-hour meeting with US secretary of state Antony Blinken at a farm outside the Saudi capital Riyadh, the prince refused to condemn Hamas’s October 7th attack on Israel. He called for a halt to US-backed Israeli military operations and an end to Israel’s siege and blockade of Gaza.

The Saudi foreign ministry denounced Israel’s bombing of Gaza as an assault on “defenceless civilians”, and, instead of normalisation, reverted to the 2002 Saudi peace plan which called for full relations with Israel in exchange for full Israeli withdrawal from Arab territory conquered in 1967. The kingdom has pledged $2 million (€1.9 million) to UNRWA, the UN agency providing aid for Palestinian refugees.

The war could undermine the prince’s efforts to ease regional tensions and promote reconciliation which he regards as essential for the kingdom to end its dependence on oil and diversify its economy. In response to the crisis, he has conferred with other Arab rulers as well as Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who has offered to mediate – and Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi.

Tehran and Riyadh reconciled in March after six years of estrangement over the Saudi execution of dissident Saudi Shia muslims. Iran has warned of regional involvement and escalation if Israel reinvades Gaza.

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The prince’s position as heir to his ailing 87-year-old father King Salman could weaken if he is seen to blunder by castigating Hamas or condoning Israel’s military campaign against Gaza. He has waged a stalemated war in Yemen and detained Saudi rivals and critics, while receiving support from fellow royals and Saudi billionaires. Until recently he was ostracised internationally for allegedly ordering the 2018 murder of defected Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Blinken could take little comfort from his whirlwind regional tour. Saudi, Jordanian, Palestinian, Qatari, Emirati and Egyptian leaders refused to support a Washington-approved Israeli ground invasion of Gaza and called for an end to hostilities.

The war has forced Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates – who have normalised ties with Israel – to reassert their commitment to the Palestinians. There have been pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Bahrain and Morocco. Like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain did not condemn the Hamas attack on Israel and called for restraint and de-escalation. Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita warned of “catastrophic repercussions” of escalation. While blaming Hamas for initiating the conflict, the Emirati foreign ministry mourned the loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives. Abu Dhabi – which holds the Emirati presidency – has launched a popular campaign to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza and promised $20 million to UNRWA. Emirati businesses may boycott Israeli-connected companies.

The US-based Vox news website has reported that recent polls show that only 27 per cent of Emiratis and 20 per cent of Bahrainis favour normalisation. “If you had democracy in the Arab world, you wouldn’t have any normalisation,” Columbia University historian Rashid Khalidi told Vox. “Public opinion is overwhelmingly against normalisation with Israel. Overwhelmingly, in every poll in every country.”

According to the Palestinian health ministry, 2,800 Palestinians have been killed and more than 20,000 wounded in Gaza. Al-Jazeera said 54 Palestinians have been killed and 1,100 wounded in the West Bank. In the Hamas attack on October 7th, 1,400 Israelis were killed and 3,400 wounded.