Palestinian Daily:

Saudi King in Bad Health Conditions, Bin Salman's Mother Still under House Arrest

Rasa - A prominent Palestinian newspaper revealed that Saudi King Salman is in deteriorating health conditions and his son, Mohammed, will soon take his place.

News ID: 438813

Date: 25 July 2018 - 21:52

RNA - "King Salman has not been able to travel to a foreign country for holidays given his bad health conditions," the Arabic-language al-Manar quoted informed sources as saying on Tuesday.

It added that the Saudi king has lost too much weight due to his deteriorating health conditions.

The daily also revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed's mother is still under house arrest ordered by his son after she opposed Mohammed's measures.

Al-Manar disclosed that Mohammed has written the text of a speech for his father in which King Salman will declare his son as the new king in the near future.

According to Fars News Agancy, Mohammed has reportedly been hiding his mother from his father, King Salman, over the past two years, fearing she may seek to use her influence and throw a wrench into his rise to the kingdom's throne.

Citing 14 current and former senior American officials, NBC News reported in March that Bin Salman blocked his mother, Princess Fahda bin Falah al-Hathleen, two years ago from meeting his father, and has since kept her away from the king as he moves to consolidate his grip to power.

The officials were speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the intelligence.

They said the 32-year old has been inventing different excuses to justify his mother's mysterious absence and keep her whereabouts secret. He has, on one occasion, told the king that she is abroad for medical treatment.

He kept his mother, King Salman's third wife, under house arrest at a place in Saudi Arabia for an unspecified period, the report added.

According to the report, Bin Salman believes his mother is not happy with how the king replaced the former crown prince, Muhammad bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, with his own favorite son in June 2017.

The report also cites a source close to the royal family as saying that Bin Salman and his mother had a falling out several years ago over her intention to empower the prince's other siblings.

The 82-year-old, the sources said, has told his associates that he misses his wife and apparently does not know her whereabouts or status.

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