Gulf | Saudi Arabia
Saudi writers and analysts back Royal Court statement
A group of Saudi writers and political analysts have backed the statement issued by the Royal Court which showed anger towards the US and the world's vague reaction to Israeli hostilities against Lebanon.
- By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 July 27, 2006
Riyadh: A group of Saudi writers and political analysts have backed the statement issued by the Royal Court which showed anger towards the US and the world's vague reaction to Israeli hostilities against Lebanon.
Saudi warned of a regional war if the war on Lebanon was not stopped because of "Israeli arrogance." Earlier Saudi Arabia criticised what it terms as "needless adventures", referring to the war.
Speaking to Gulf News the Saudi and political analysts said the statement was warmly received by the Arab masses especially as it clarified the kingdom's stand.
They said the statement implicitly indicated "the adventures" did not only refer to Hezbollah but also referred to the American policy that gave Israel the green light to strike and destroy Lebanon. It also refers to Israel's "needless adventures" manifested in its overall war against Lebanon and America's adventure of supplying Israel with the latest laser weapons to destroy Lebanon.
Dr Mohammad Aal Zulfa, member of the Saudi Shura Council, warns about the possibility of dragging the region into war because of Israeli arrogance and America's impartiality saying: "We all expect America to listen to the Arab voice and demands especially if we take into account the strategic American interest in the region.
"The statement is a strong message from King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to the American administration that its support to the Israeli hostilities is an adventure whose consequences nobody can know," he added.
Aal Zulfa said that the kingdom had not relinquished its Arab and Islamic responsibility. It has been making efforts at all levels since the 1947 war in Palestine and the participation of the Saudi army in this war. Added to this was its intervention in the Lebanese ethnic war and its support to Jordan and Syria in their confrontation with Israel.
Meanwhile, the Saudi academic and political analyst Dr Sarhan Al Ottaibi said the Saudi statement reflected a deep understanding of the delicate and dangerous situation in Lebanon and Palestine.
"The part which refers to the war reflects the feeling of disappointment and frustration resulting from the American and international stand towards the destruction being carried out by Israel.
"The Saudi statement should not be taken as a declaration of war. Yet I don't think war will break out in the region. Simply because some of the neighbouring countries including Egypt and Jordan are crippled with accords with Israel and the other countries are not bordering Israel. In addition to this America has military bases in some Arab countries and spying activities have to reckoned with."
Dr Al Ottaibi stressed that for the time-being Arabs can only help in rebuilding what Israel is destroying in Lebanon and Palestine pointing out that the Saudi statement might have come as a reaction to America's disregard to the Saudi proposals conveyed by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal and Bandar Bin Sultan, chief of Saudi national security agency.
Some of the American dailies mentioned that the American administration had received the Saudi proposals coldly and was still insisting that Israel continues its offensives against Israel.
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