(Foundation for Defense of Democracies) Haisam Hassanein - Saudi policy since Oct. 7 seeks to dissociate Riyadh from Hamas. Saudi government-funded media describe Hamas operatives killed by Israel as terrorists. Local clerics state that Hamas is committing not "jihad" but a "devilish act." Neither a royal family member nor a foreign ministry official has issued a statement mourning the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Immediately after the massacre, when Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal appeared on the Saudi state-owned Al-Arabiya, an anchor asked him, "Would you apologize for what was done to Israeli civilians on Oct. 7?" When he refused to give a clear answer, the anchor pressed him: "You say this is legitimate resistance in your view, but what the people saw on Western TV screens were transgressions by Hamas against civilians." Pro-regime intellectuals blame Hamas for the radicalization sweeping the region. The CEO of Al-Arabiya, Mamdouh Al-Mhuainy, argued that Palestinians who die in Gaza should not be called "martyrs." The writer is an adjunct fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
2024-08-29 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive