MANAMA: A senior Saudi royal termed Israel “genocidal” and an “apartheid” state on Saturday, as he called on incoming US President-elect Donald Trump to bring peace to the Middle East.
Prince Turki Al Faisal, who was Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief for more than two decades, also said he hoped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
His comments at the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain follow increasingly tough statements from Saudi officials since talks were paused on a potential normalisation of ties with Israel after the start of the Gaza war.
“Israel today, according to international human rights groups, is not only an apartheid colonial state, but it is also a genocidal one,” Prince Turki said.
“It is committing genocide on the people of Gaza.”
He added: “It’s about time for the world to… take the necessary steps to bring those who are charged by the International Criminal Court to justice.”
The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant last month on suspicion of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Saudi’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also accused Israel of genocide at a joint Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit in Riyadh last month.
Amnesty International levelled the same charge this week in a new report that was dismissed by Israel as “fabricated” and “based on lies”.
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 44,612 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.
Prince Turki, also a former Saudi ambassador to the US, said Trump’s “strong mandate” from American voters “can enable him to provide the statesmanship that is highly needed in the world.
“Friendly countries in the region are hoping that Mr. Trump pursues what he started before, to bring peace with capital letters to the Middle East,” he said.
“It is time for America, under your presidency, to change the course of this troubled region,” he added.
During Trump’s first administration, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco signed the Abraham Accords recognising Israel, a break with the long-held Arab consensus that there should be no ties without the creation of a Palestinian state.
