At the annual meeting of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman used his speech to reiterated his unwavering support for Palestine, calling for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as it’s capital before any talks of peace with Israel.
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King Salman managed the issue delicately while on one hand he praised efforts for regional peace, on the other hand his words were seen as a rejection of the recent UAE-Bahrain peace deal with Israel.
“Today I speak to you from birthplace of Islam; the home of its revelation, and the Qibla for the Muslims. I share with you a message in which we rely on the teachings of our noble religion“
– King Salman, UN General Assembly 2020
The 2002 Arab peace initiative, drawn up by Saudi Arabia in consultation with Palestinian leaders, offers to normalise ties with Israel on the condition of a full Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories to pre-1967 borders.
King Salman said the 2002 deal was the basis for a “comprehensive and just solution” which would ensure the rights of Palestinians to statehood.
He also stated that the 2002 Arab Peace deal would “ensure that the fraternal Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights at the forefront of which is establishing their independent state with East Jerusalem as it’s capital”
Praising efforts of peace in the region, the Saudi monarch said “We support the efforts of the current US administration to achieve peace in the Middle East by bringing the Palestinians and the Israelis to the negotiation table to reach a fair and comprehensive agreement”
In 2019 Saudi Arabia rejected President Trump’s peace plan. The Saudi Arabian government said “The Kingdom’s policy – has been – and remains in support of the Palestinian People, and this has been communicated to the US Administration”
In 2015 King Salman said, in one of the first addresses to the nation when he became King, “Defence of Arab and Islamic causes – at the top of which is the legitimate right of the Palestinians to a state, with Jerusalem as its capital, will remain at the top of Saudi Arabia’s priority”
Photos of a young King Salman were shared widely on social media, purportedly showing him as an Officer in the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. The photos were shared with a caption alleging that the photos were of when King Salman as a Prince had fought against Israel in the Arab-Israeli wars.
Iran
The majority of the UN speech focussed on terrorism and Iran. The King reminded the UN that in 2019 Iran had bombed Saudi Arabian oil facilities. He said this was a “blatant violation of international laws”. He also mentioned how the Iran backed Houthis have targeted Saudi Arabia with “over 300 ballistic missiles and more than 400 armed drones (UAVs)”
“The Kingdom’s hands were extended to Iran in peace with a positive and open attitude over the past decades. The Kingdom received several of Iran’s presidents, among the Kingdom’s efforts to seek ways to build relations based on good neighbourliness and mutual respect”
– King Salman, UN General Assembly 2020
King Salman then detailed that in response to offers of peace from Saudi Arabia, “Iran exploited these efforts in order to intensify its expansionist activities, create terrorist networks, and use terrorism” which he said have “produced nothing but chaos, extremism and sectarianism”
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He said that “partial solutions and appeasement” of Iran did not stop its threats to international peace and security, explaining why the Saudi Arabian government now believe in a firm approach.
Other Themes Addressed
King Salman also mentioned Saudi Arabia’s efforts against Covid-19 where it has pledged $500Million to combat the pandemic and how the Kingdom in the last 3 decades has provided $86Billion of aid to 81 countries.
“Islam, which equated the killing of an individual with the killing of all of mankind, is undoubtedly innocent of all the crimes and atrocities committed in its name by the forces of terrorism and extremism”
– King Salman, UN General Assembly 2020
He also took aim at how the Iran-backed Houthis have prevented aid reaching the Yemeni people and how they “rejected efforts to deescalate the situation” when they rejected an offer in April 2020 for a ceasefire in order to combat Covid-19.
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