Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made his debut at a BRICS event on Tuesday to address the ongoing Israeli self-defense operation against the jihadist terror group Hamas, expressing his “categorical rejection” of it and demanding a “Palestinian state … with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
BRICS is an economic and diplomatic coalition whose name comes from its five core members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The group voted to admit six new members in August, including Saudi Arabia. The other five new members are expected to be Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Argentina. The six are set to take their formal places in BRICS in January, though at least one of the group, Argentina, may reject its invitation to join following the victory of libertarian President-elect Javier Milei in the November 19 contest. Milei will assume the presidency on December 10.
Argentina’s socialist current government was nonetheless present for BRICS’s first emergency meeting, called on Tuesday, to address the war between Israel and the genocidal jihadist terrorist group Hamas. The virtual meeting was the first of its kind in the history of BRICS and convened by South Africa.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during BRICS Extraordinary Joint Meeting on the Middle East situation in Johannesburg, South Africa on November 21, 2023. (Photo by Presidency of South Africa / Handout /Anadolu via Getty Images)
The war in question began on October 7, when Hamas thugs invaded Israel from their stronghold in Gaza and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians and many massacred in their homes in door-to-door raids. Extensive evidence suggests the Hamas terrorists killed children as young as newborns and engaged in atrocities such as torture, gang rape, and mutilation.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a military operation in Gaza to neutralize the threat of further Hamas violence, prompting widespread disgust throughout the pro-Hamas Arab world and from rogue states such as China and Russia.
The BRICS summit included a large majority of anti-Israel voices, including genocidal Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, who made his first public address on the matter on Tuesday.
Also speaking at the summit, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not mention Hamas in his statement at all, instead condemning Israel for its operations against Hamas.
“We reiterate our categorical rejection of these operations that have claimed the lives of thousands of children, women, and the elderly,” the de facto ruler said.
“We demand an immediate stop of the military operations, and the provision of humanitarian corridors to enable international humanitarian organizations to perform their role and aid civilians.”
Hamas regularly uses civilians in Gaza as human shields, hiding terrorist infrastructure and weaponry in schools, hospitals, and other sensitive areas, and thus increasing the casualty counts when Israeli forces attack.
Israel Defense Forces“The Kingdom’s firm and unaltered stance has always been and remains that security and stability in Palestine can be achieved only through implementing international resolutions pertaining to the two-state solution,” bin Salman continued, “in order to enable the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate right to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
The alleged objective of the summit was to call for a pause in the fighting in Gaza, rendering the event largely obsolete as the Israeli government and Hamas leaders announced this week that they had come to an agreement for a four-day pause in exchange for the liberation of 50 hostages. Hamas terrorists are believed to have taken about 250 hostages on October 7.
The Saudi crown prince’s tone has shifted to more sternly condemn Israel for defending itself since Riyadh’s initial statements following the October 7 attacks. While Saudi Arabia has yet to condemn Hamas for its slaughter, the country published a statement on the week of the attack urging “an immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides, the protection of civilians, and restraint” generally, as opposed to condemning Israel alone.
In late October, Saudi Arabia signed a joint statement with South Korea during a visit by that nation’s president, Yoon Suk-yeol, that discussed the operation against Hamas but did not call for a ceasefire.
“Regarding the currently escalating situation between Israel and Palestine, the two sides rejected targeting civilians in any way, emphasizing the importance of protecting civilians in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law,” the statement read, “and agreed to work with the international community for the rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to suffering civilians.”
Prior to October 7, widespread reports indicated that Saudi Arabia was engaging in behind-the-scenes negotiations toward improving its relationship with Israel. In an interview with Fox News in September, Mohammed bin Salman notably omitted a call for a “Palestinian state” while discussing the situation in the Middle East.
