Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced Israel’s war in Gaza as a “genocide” on Monday in the first such announcement by the kingdom’s prime minister and de facto ruler.
In a joint summit by the Organization of Islamic Conference and the Arab League held in Riyadh, the Arab leaders and the prince doubled down on their criticism of Israel’s assaults in Gaza and Lebanon.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman has demanded that Israel immediately stop its military aggression in Gaza and Lebanon at the opening of the summit.
The Crown Prince, also known as MBS condemned the “massacre committed against Palestine and Lebanese people”.
The Crown Prince also urged Israel to refrain further from any act of aggression. He called on countries around the globe to recognize Palestinian statehood.
The kingdom said again its denunciation of the genocide executed by Israel against the brotherly Palestinian people. it resulted in more than 150,000 martyrs, injured, and missing.
Moreover, the majority of the victims are children and women.
The Saudi government has been critical of Israel’s aggression on Gaza since 7 October, last year. However, there were earlier speculations that Israel and the Gulf Kindom were close to formalizing open relations.
Israel’s military assault on Gaza in the previous 13 months has killed many women, and children, caused a hunger crisis, and led to genocide at the World Court, however, Israel denies it.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently stated that his government will not do so without the establishment of a Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said that it was a failing of the international community that the war in Gaza had not yet been stopped.
Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud said that where the international community primarily has failed is ending the immediate conflict and putting an end to Israel’s aggression.
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack. Various countries including the US and UK also expressed serious concerns about the war.
The Crown Prince also criticized Israel’s banning of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, and its attack on aid agencies in Gaza.
