Saudi Arabia 'detains people' for anti-Israel social media posts. .
FACT: The hijackers in the September 11 attacks were 19 men affiliated with Islamist jihadist organization al-Qaeda. They hailed from four countries; 15 of them were citizens of Saudi Arabia . . . .
Photo credit: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the 15th annual G20 Leaders' Summit in Riyadh on 22 November 2020 (Saudi Royal Court/Reuters)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Saudi Arabia has reportedly launched a crackdown on citizens who express views critical of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza online.
The claims in a Bloomberg report on Wednesday come as US officials suggested talks are underway for a Saudi-Israel normalisation deal.
According to the report, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, the detentions include an executive who works for a company involved in Vision 2030, the flagship economic project spearheaded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the person was arrested in connection with expressing “incendiary” views on the current Israel-Gaza conflict.
A second detainee is a media personality who Bloomberg reports had said that “Israel should never be forgiven”, and another is someone who called for a boycott of US fast food restaurants in the kingdom.
Middle East Eye has contacted the Saudi foreign ministry for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.
In 2020 and 2021, Israel reached US-brokered normalisation agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
Since then, there has been persistent speculation about a similar deal with Saudi Arabia, a key US ally.
In January, Prince Khalid bin Bandar, the Saudi ambassador in London, said that a normalisation deal was "close" but the kingdom paused US-brokered talks after the deadly attack on Israel on 7 October by Hamas-led fighters.
The Saudi foreign ministry said in February that no normalisation will take place without a ceasefire and progress toward Palestinian statehood.
However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that Washington and Riyadh have engaged in intensive diplomacy over the past month to reach the normalisation deal.
"The work that Saudi Arabia, the United States have been doing together in terms of our own agreements, I think, is potentially very close to completion," he said at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on Sunday.
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In 2020 and 2021, Israel reached US-brokered normalisation agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
Since then, there has been persistent speculation about a similar deal with Saudi Arabia, a key US ally.
In January, Prince Khalid bin Bandar, the Saudi ambassador in London, said that a normalisation deal was "close" but the kingdom paused US-brokered talks after the deadly attack on Israel on 7 October by Hamas-led fighters.
Many people were wondering about the unusually barbaric October 7th attack on Israel. especially the timing-- why now after all these years? (After all, Hamas' main goal for years-- decades even-- was to exterminate the Jews). But the Israeli occupation of Gaza totally ended long ago (way back in 2005)-- so why did the attack happen now, decades later?
The title is a bit of a surprise to me.
Some things in the Middle east are changing.
Sometimes in unexpected ways.
But the Israeli occupation of Gaza totally ended long ago (way back in 2005)-- so why did the attack happen now, decades later?
"Reliable sources" have stated quite clearly-- After decades of mutual hatreds and wars finally several Arab states and Israel were willing to end the years of hatred (and horrific mutual violence) and finally make peace!
United Arab Emirates & several other Sunni states were finally willing to make peace! But old Islamic Sunni-Shia hatreds weren't going away. & Iran, leader of the Shia world was furious about the prospects of Sunni enemies making peace with Israel!
And of course we are SO concerned about how Iran feels about it.
But the old Islamic Sunni-Shia hatreds weren't going away so fast. And therefore the leader of the Shia world (Iran) was furious about the prospects of their Sunni enemies making peace with Israel (which would empower both the Sunni Arab states and Israel).
So Shia states, decided to ressurrect a tried tactic for ginning up hatred vs Israel-- the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They planned and supported Hamas in an unusually barbaric terror attack (Oct 7)-- knowing Israel would have to react strongly.
And Israel was asleep at the switch. Some people might have the opinion, though, that Israel WANTED this to happen to give it a good reason to destroy HAMAS (and keep Netanyahu out of prison for a while).
However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that Washington and Riyadh have engaged in intensive diplomacy over the past month to reach the normalisation deal.
"The work that Saudi Arabia, the United States have been doing together in terms of our own agreements, I think, is potentially very close to completion," he said at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on Sunday.
It seemed like Iran's plan worked-- Israel responded strongly to the attacks of Oct 7-- greatly pissing off the Arabs. So it seemed like Iran's plan (& Hamas carrying it out) made it certain peace between Israel and the (Sunni) Arab states was doomed to failure.
But now it seems that the Saudis (of all people!) may make it happen anyway!!!
"Not so fast, Louie"