S. Arabia Starts New Wave of Arrests over Ties with Israel

Rasa - Saudi authorities have arrested several activists for denouncing the industrious efforts made by Riyadh, particularly those of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.

News ID: 437786

Date: 19 May 2018 - 22:37

RNA - The Arabic-language al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper quoted social media activists as saying that the Saudi authorities have last Thursday detained two male activists named Dr. Mohammad al-Rabi'eh and Dr. Ibrahim al-Madimiq and four female activists, including Lajin al-Hazloul, Azizeh al-Yousef, Iman al-Nafjan and Noureh Faqih, who are all against Riyadh's attempts to normalize relations with Israel.

Also, Abdollah al-Qamedi, a Saudi activist living in Britain, said that the Saudi authorities have imprisoned his mother and brother for over 50 years with permission to visit family members.

In a relevant report in February, Qatar’s Arabic-language al-Arab newspaper, reported that Saudi forces detained Noha al-Balawi, a female activist, over a post she published on her Twitter page, criticizing normalization of ties with Israel.

Balawi, wearing a niqab in the video, stated that Israeli-Saudi relations would only serve the interests of the Tel Aviv regime, and would be to the detriment of Arab nations.

Speaking in an interview with France 24 television news network on December 13, 2017, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the kingdom had a “roadmap” to establish full diplomatic ties with the Tel Aviv regime.

In mid-November last year, a Lebanese paper published a secret document that showed that the Saudis were willing to normalize relations with Israel as part of a US-led Israeli-Palestinian peace effort and unite Saudi-allied countries against Iran.

According to Fars News Agancy, the document, published by al-Akhbar daily, was a letter from the Saudi foreign minister to bin Salman, explaining why it was in the kingdom’s interest to normalize relations with Israel. The letter said a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Israel has risks for the kingdom due to the strength of the Palestinian cause among Muslims.

The Saudis' willingness to boost ties with Israel has offended several Arab countries, including Jordan.

As for the Palestinian refugee issue, the letter says the Saudis would be willing to help the estimated five million Palestinian refugees worldwide settle in the host countries rather than being brought back to the occupied Palestinian territories.

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