Saudi Arabia is pushing for Arab states to take “a common position on how to end Israel’s war on Hamas as fears grow over its attacks on the refugee haven of Rafah — while increasing calls for an independent Palestinian state,” Bloomberg reports.
Saudi Arabia yesterday hosted an Arab Consultative Meeting to address the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians have suffered under more than 125 days of Israel’s often indiscriminate bombing of civilians.
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as well as a senior aide to President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority traveled to Riyadh on Thursday to meet with Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal Bin Farhan.
The push comes as frustration and anger grows at Israel over its brutality and massacre of civilians in Gaza in both the East and West.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday suggested that Israel’s military response in Gaza has been “over the top” and said he is seeking a “sustained pause in the fighting” to help ailing Palestinian civilians.
“I’m of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in the Gaza Strip has been over the top,” Biden told reporters at the White House.
According to the Bloomberg report, the meeting between key Arab states was held as Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, “strives to balance opposition to Israel’s military campaign with a desire to build closer ties with the US, particularly over defense.”
The report notes that Washington is pushing the kingdom to agree to diplomatic ties with Israel as part of those negotiations, though Prince Mohammed has made clear, especially after Oct. 7, a path toward a Palestinian state is a pre-condition to any deal.
