Saudi Arabia thinks the war in Gaza is a disaster and that Israel and the moderate Arab nations have been maneuvered into what could be a regional war. A senior Saudi official said at a recent important gathering that ending the war must be a priority.
The Muslim Brotherhood was partially behind the maneuvering, according to the official. Riyadh was frustrated that the West had not realized that the Brotherhood and all of its offshoots are terrorist organizations. Although the word Hamas was not specifically uttered, the message was unmistakable.
The Saudi Arabian official also accused the "Khomeinists" regime in Iran. Look at what they are doing to their own people and to the region, the official said. "People are dying everywhere. In Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Gaza and Palestine. This is the result of their actions."
The Saudis are saying out loud what the Egyptians, the Jordanians and the Emirates say only in whispers. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is consistent in his fierce opposition to political fundamentalism and has had threats on his life after some in his country equate him with Israel.
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Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani , Emir of Qatar with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman
(Photo: Reuters)
"We are being approached about rebuilding Gaza," the official said. "We must have a broader perspective and look further at how this rehabilitation will take place and what it means. Please understand that we must think for example about how to build schools when so many of its students would be amputees who lost limbs. We must begin to think about the Israelis and the Palestinians who are suffering post-trauma and how to deal with it and we must give a real look at the future."
The official said the war must end. "We know how to rebuild. We are rebuilding Saudi Arabia."
Israelis were present at the event where the Saudi official spoke, and their presence was known. The official said in the clearest terms that a path to normalization between the two countries includes a Palestinian state and a set date for its establishment. There can be no more vague promises, maps and delays.
There is some debate in the Biden administration about how serious the Saudis are about setting a deadline for the establishment of a Palestinian State. Some think this is a bargaining position only because if MBS is firm in this demand, Israel's current political makeup is light years away from accepting such terms, especially under Netanyahu.
The Saudi official left a strong impression on his listeners. He presented the path to a real regional alliance that would seclude Iran and its proxies. Some saw it as fantasy that was disconnected from the reality in the Middle East.
But I was reminded of the unforgettable speak then Egyptian president Anwar Sadat made when he came to the Knesset on a historic visit in 1977. "The Palestinian problem is the foundation and essence of the conflict and as long as it remains unresolved, the conflict will continue to deteriorate," Sadat warned. "There will be no peace without the Palestinians, and it is a grave mistake of untold magnitude, to ignore or neglect it."
The Saudi official expressed the same position now, 50 years on.