JAKARTA - The Palestinian leadership has criticized the peace move between the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia and Israel. Saudi Arabia's diplomat Prince Bandar countered the criticism by criticizing Palestinian leaders for criticizing the peace move. Is this a sign that Saudi Arabia and Israel will soon make peace?
To quote the BBC , Palestinian leaders have described the normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain with Israel as a form of "treason" and "backstabbing."
The former Saudi intelligence chief and longtime ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar Bin Sultan al-Saud, responded to this criticism. Prince Bandar slammed Palestinian leaders for their criticism of the peace move.
“The Palestinian struggle is a just cause but its supporters have failed, and the Israeli struggle is unfair but its supporters have proven successful. It summarizes the events of the last 70 or 75 years, "he said in an interview broadcast with Al Arabiya TV.
As is well known, Prince Bandar has spent 22 years as the Saudi ambassador to Washington. The man who was so close to former US President George W Bush that he was nicknamed "Bandar Bin Bush" spoke of the historic failure of the Palestinian leadership in creating peace.
"There is something in common that the successive Palestinian leadership has had in common: they always bet on the losing side, and it comes at a heavy price."
Launch Reuters , Monday, October 12th, Prince Bandar noted support for decades from the king of Saudi successively to the Palestinian cause. He said Palestinians must remember Saudi Arabia is always there for them to offer help and advice.
"This low level of discourse is not what we expect from officials seeking global support for their cause," he said.
Slowly
Saudi Arabia is not expected to follow in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates and its Gulf allies the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain to normalize relations with Israel. But experts and diplomats believe Saudi Arabia has begun to change public discourse about Israel.
At present, Prince Bandar said the focus of Saudi Arabia is not only on supporting Palestine. The Kingdom also has its own interests and security of its own while supporting the Palestinian cause.
Over the years, especially in the countryside, Saudi Arabians have become accustomed to seeing not only Israel as the enemy but all Jews. However, along with the development of information technology the exchange of information is getting more intense. The thinking of many people is getting more fluid.
However, it will take time to reverse the view that the Jews are their enemy (the citizens of Saudi Arabia). Hence the government of Saudi Arabia appears in no rush to follow its Gulf Arab neighbors in making a historic deal with Israel.
Meet the Chair of the Jewish Congress
Meanwhile the chairman of the American Jewish Congress, Ron Lauder, paid a surprise visit to Ramallah on October 11 to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Lauder arrived in a Jordanian helicopter and held a lengthy meeting with Abbas before returning to Jordan.
Palestinian sources in Ramallah said that the meeting was focused on Palestinian-Israeli talks and the upcoming Palestinian elections. The meeting is believed to benefit the Palestine Liberation Organization.
The source claimed that Abbas said the position of Palestine was independent and would not be connected to any political axis. Meanwhile Abbas has offered to attend an international conference in early 2021.
Abbas also regularly rejects any negotiations based on a peace plan promoted by US President Donald Trump.
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