Saudi Arabia Supports Trump's Declaration

Masjidul Aqsa in Palestine

Leaked audio recordings have confirmed on 7 January 2018 that a top Egyptian official ordered media outfits in Egypt to support Donald Trump's decision to make Jerusalem (Islam's third holiest site) the capital of the Israelis. The current regime in Egypt led by Alsisi came into power after a bloody overthrow of the Islamic government of Muhammad Mursi. Saudi Arabia support the overthrow. This revelation goes to prove that Saudi Arabia itself is a supporter of the move by America. The Moments after America’s president, Donald Trump, did what he called fulfilling his campaign promise of declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel on 11^th December 2017, a precarious situation seemed to have developed. For some who are against the move by America, it is a good development and for some others of course; a bad one. Those who see it to be good do so because it gives the world the opportunity to see what stand Saudi Arabia, ‘the leader of the Muslim world’, would take.

The last time the world saw a disagreement between Saudi Arabia and America was in 1973 when the then king, Faisal bin Abdul Aziz decided to part ways with the ideology of his predecessors which was basically partner-in-crime relationship with the west. His rule saw Saudi Arabia impose sanctions on the West (including America) for their support for the Israelis during the Arab-Israeli war. This cold shoulder was however short-lived as King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz was assassinated by his nephew Faisal bin Musaid on 25 March 1975. Faisal bin Musaid had just returned from America some days before the assassination of the king, he was executed on 18 June 1975. A new king, Khalid bin Abdul Aziz, was crowned and the Saudi-West romance continued; it has not seized till this day.

Despite trump’s ranting particularly against Muslims before he assumed office on 20 January 2017, Saudi Arabia was not moved in the slightest, the relationship has continued without any hitches. The world will wait in vain to hear the Saudis criticize Trump’s support for Israel desiring to make Jerusalem its capital.

Why would the Saudis criticize Trump’s declaration when the gulf country is seeking stronger ties with the Israelis? On 16 November 2017, Saudi newspaper, Elaph, interviewed the Chief of Staff of IDF (Israel Defense Forces), Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, in which the Israeli official was quoted to have said, Israel and Saudi Arabia are in “complete agreement” on their plans for the Middle East especially as regards Iran. He was also quoted to have said, “With President Donald Trump, there is an opportunity for a new international alliance in the region and a broad strategic plan to stop the Iranian threat.”In July 2017, Israeli communications minister Ayoob Kara, hinted that there are plans between the Israelis and the Saudis to begin direct flights from Tel Aviv and Macca and Madina during Hajj. This is expected to bring in millions for both parties. More recently, an Israeli found his way into the Prophet’s Mosque in Madina and shared the picture he took at the site on social media. The Saudi-Israeli bond is getting stronger by the day hence, criticism for anything that favours the Israelis by Saudi Arabia should not be expected.

On 11 December 2017, a 25-member Bahraini delegation visited Israeli settlements in a show of the growing solidarity between the Saudi-led block and Tel Aviv. This visit by the Bahrainis angered Palestinians and Muslims across the globe. Why is Bahrain important in this discussion? 

Bahrain is an extension of Saudi Arabia. The Bahraini monarchy enjoys support and protection from the Saudis. During the so-called Arab spring of 2012-2013, Bahrainis rose against the monarchy seeking to abolish it. It took Saudi Arabia’s military intervention to keep the regime in power. Could it then be conceived that the Bahrainis would initiate a process that the Saudis would find provocative? It is vivid; the Bahraini delegation that visited the Israelis did not do it at the behest of Bahrain alone but for the whole of the Saudi-led block. If this is not the case, then we expect to see Saudi sanctions on Bahrain.

The last Saudi monarch who sympathized with the Palestinian cause was Faisal bin Abdul Aziz, every other one (both before and after him) have been indifferent. ‘Indifferent’ for some might be a very mild word to use; they would rather go for ‘hostile’. Saudi Arabia is not known in modern times to have ever criticized an Israeli onslaught on Palestinians rather, the monarchy sees as an enemy every entity having the success of the Palestinian cause at heart. It is not news that the Saudis supported the overthrow of the Islamist government of Muhammad Mursi who was a strong advocate of the Palestinian cause. 

On 7 March 2014, Saudi Arabia declared the Muslim Brotherhood, the number one supporter of the Palestinians a terrorist group and instigated the freezing of assets of the Islamic charity organization worth millions of dollars by the current dictator. Saudi Arabia and her allies have also imprisoned a number of Muslim Brotherhood officials. The overthrow of Muhammad Mursi gave way for the Western-Saudi puppet, al Sisi, whom in conjunction with the Israelis has made life a hotter hell for the Palestinians.

On 6 June 2017, Saudi Arabia's Foreign minster, Adel Al Jubeir, declared HAMAS a terrorist organisation a day after Saudi Arabia and her Arab allies formally cut ties with Qatar on the grounds of what they called Qatar's disloyalty to the region. HAMAS is the resistance group that has kept Israel from from taking over the whole of the Palestinian lands especially Gaza.

The unshakable friendship between Saudi Arabia and America, the growing love between Saudi Arabia and the Israelis coupled with the expected silence of Riyadh on Trump’s declaration is a clear, lucid and vivid indication of Saudi Arabia’s support for the latest development.