Gulf States urged to rethink their approach to security after Doha bombing
Former Director of Saudi Arabia General Intelligence Directorate, Prince Turki al-Faisal, has urged the Gulf States to rethink their security approach after the Israeli bombing of Doha in Qatar
Riyadh: Former Director of Saudi Arabia General Intelligence Directorate, Prince Turki al-Faisal, has urged the Gulf States to rethink their security approach after the Israeli bombing of Doha in Qatar.
Speaking at an event in Riyadh Sunday Prince Turki Al-Faisal, who is also the former Saudi Ambassador to the United States and the United Kingdom, warned that the security of all Gulf States is under threat from a “pariah state” following the recent Israeli attack on Qatar.
“The Gulf region is witness nowadays to an aggressively treacherous attack by Israel on the sovereignty of Qatar. This attack is a reminder to all countries of the Gulf that their common security is under threat by a pariah state that gives no regard to any law or rule governing international relations”, Prince Turki, son of the legendary King Faisal said.
“This attack is an eye-opener to question the credibility and reliability of alliances when threats come from Israel. This dictates our states to rethink the nature of threats and to rebuild their strategic policies to safeguard their security by all means to face such threats. Israel must not be allowed a free hand”, Prince Turki al Faisal said while addressing at the Dean of Ambassadors’ Gala Dinner marking the Golden Jubilee of Arab News.
“U.S. Double Standard”
In his speech, Prince Turki also addressed the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the role of the international community, particularly the US blaming it to be responsible for the unrest in the Midde East.
“I believe that no region in our world has felt the impact of the state of international uncertainty more than the greater Middle East region. Who is to blame for this continued situation is an open question. However, while countries and leaders of the region bear a responsibility, the US bears the biggest share of this responsibility”, he said.
Prince Turki also accused the United States of being a supporter of Israel, adding it to be practicing double standard while dealing with the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands and their genocide at the hands of the occupation forces (IDF).
“We see the US descending from the role of honest broker to the role of the staunch ally of Israel. The blatant double standard practiced by the US in dealing with the Israeli occupation of Palestine and its recent genocidal war on Gaza and the West Bank are plainly witnessed not only by Arabs but by all peoples around the world", he said.
Advice to Trump
Prince Turki also advised U.S. President to correct past mistakes.
“In order for President (Donald) Trump to be the peacemaker, as he wants to be, he should correct the past mistakes committed by the US to the peace and security of its friends and allies”, he said.
Prince Turki welcomed the recent progress made toward the realization of a two-state solution, as a diplomatic push by Saudi Arabia and France yielded a series of recognitions of the Palestinian state by Western powers at last week’s UN General Assembly.
Prince Turki also hit back at accusations by the Israeli government and its supporters that recognition is a reward for Hamas and its Oct. 7 attacks, saying the illegal Zionist occupation is the reason behind the entire mess.
“Among the many tropes faced by the Kingdom and France and all countries that recognized Palestine as a state is that this is a reward to Hamas. What a deceitful and evil assertion to deny Palestinian people their inalienable right to their own state”, he said.
“It is the 80 years old Israeli colonial occupation of Palestine and denial of the Palestinian people their right to self-determination that rewards Hamas and other similar groups. Without the occupation, there will not be resistance to it”, he asserted.
[With inputs from Arab News.]
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