NEW DELHI: Saudi Prince and entrepreneur, Alwaleed bin Talal made a startling statement to Kuwaiti Al Qabas daily stating that ‘Saudi Arabia must reconsider its regional commitments and devise a new strategy to combat Iran’s increasing influence in Gulf States by forging a Defense pact with Tel Aviv.’ It would deter any possible Iranian moves in the light of unfolding developments in the Syria and Moscow’s military intervention.
He openly stated that ‘I will side with the Jewish nation and its democratic aspirations in case of outbreak of a Palestinian Intifada( uprising) and i shall exert all my influence to break any ominous Arab initiatives set to condemn Tel Aviv , because I deem the Arab-Israeli entente and future friendship necessary to impede the Iranian dangerous encroachment.’
With the emergence of neo-liberalism and complex interdependence, Saudi Arabia and Israel have built tacit alliances but they have not openly embraced in public. The manner in which, one after another, Arab states have abandoned the Palestinian cause has now become a convention. But this statement by the Saudi Prince sets a new low in the Arab world.
He further said, ‘Iran seeks to buttress its presence in the Mediterranean by supporting Assad regime in Syria, added Prince Alwaleed, but to the chagrin of Riyadh and its sister Gulf sheikhdoms, Putin’s Russia has become a real co-belligerent force in Syrian 4-year-old civil war by attacking CIA-trained Islamist rebels. Here surfaces the paramount importance of Saudi-Israeli nexus to frustrate Russia-Iran-Hezbollah axis.’ The quote confirms that Russia is bombing “CIA-trained” Islamist rebels, but at the same time it also highlights the insecurity of Saudi Arabia against the emergence of Russia-Iran and Hezbollah axis within the Syrian paradigm.
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal had previously been in the news also for supporting the annexation of Bahrain during the Arab Uprising at Pearl Square in Manama, which witnessed a complete media blackout though there was massive manslaughter. The entire idea of uprisings for democracy is so antithetical to the entire monarchical set-up of Saudi Arabia that it has also played a pivotal role in fuelling the sectarian war in West Asia.
Nevertheless, the Palestinian Ambassador to India stated that Prince AlWaleed had later stated that he had made no such statement.