Saudi Arabia condemned the Israeli ground operations in Gaza, saying it was following the Israeli escalation with deep concern.
It warned that such operations “threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians and expose them to more dangers and inhumane conditions.”
In a statement on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said: “The Kingdom condemns and denounces the ground operations carried out by Israel ... and warns of the danger of continuing to carry out these flagrant and unjustified violations of international law against the Palestinian people.”
It called on the international community “to assume its responsibilities to immediately stop the military operation” in line with the UN General Assembly resolution issued on Friday “to save the lives of innocent people.”
It warned of the dangerous consequences on the stability of the region and regional and international peace and security.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, analysts said Saudi Arabia’s stance on the Palestinian cause has given credibility to is vision towards it. It made world leaders turn to it given its international and regional weight and its clear line of action.
They stressed that the statement underlined how dangerous the military operations are towards civilians in Gaza.
Clear foundations
When it comes to the Palestinian cause, Saudi Arabia acts based on clear foundations and standards that are international resolutions related to the Palestinians.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Refai, Dean of College of Media and Communication at the Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Riyadh is keen on preserving international support to the Palestinian cause.
That it is why it supports all efforts that consolidate Palestinian rights and it confronts all attempts to undermine them, he added.
Al-Refai said Saudi Arabia supports the Palestinian cause through backing international projects that are overseen directly by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and even Gaza.
Saudi Arabia has shown political skill whereby support and aid is received through official international channels to the Palestinians. It also mobilized international support for the Palestinian cause and the raised awareness about the suffering of the people in Gaza.
The Kingdom has proposed several initiatives aimed at rebuilding and restoring services needed in Gaza, Al-Refai remarked.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia has exerted great effort with the international community to differentiate between what Hamas is doing and what Palestinian rights are, and which the world agrees upon.
The greatest challenge faced by those committed to the Palestinian cause are the interferences that emerged after Hamas imposed its control over Gaza, he noted.
This has only deepened the suffering of the Palestinian people there, he lamented.
Saudi Arabia has sought at the United Nations to prevent the Palestinian cause and people from being tied to organizations that do not enjoy international legitimacy, he went on to say.
International relations
Brian Katulis, vice president of policy at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said the Saudi statement demonstrates the extent of its concern over the risks the military operation poses to Palestinian civilians and the risks that the operation may lead to a broader regional war.
He added that Saudi Arabia and the United States may work closer together on a diplomatic level should the conflict escalate even more.
The Kingdom enjoys important ties with main players across the Arab world, even in Iran, he noted. Such bilateral diplomatic coordination may be very important in containing the conflict.
However, he warned that the divide between the Saudi and American political stances at the moment shows the difficulty Washington is facing in forming a cohesive regional coalition.
The year 2023 is not 2014 when the US managed to find a common cause with partners, such as Saudi Arabia, against ISIS. It also differs from 1993 when the US built a broad coalition to get Iraq to pull out of Kuwait, he remarked.
