Saudi Defense Minister Holds Private Meeting with Jewish and Pro-Israel Leaders
Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's defense minister, held a private meeting with several Jewish and pro-Israel leaders in Washington on Friday afternoon.
During the discussion, Prince Khalid denied that increasing antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric originating from the kingdom reflected the monarchy's official stance.
Key Discussions and Denials
Prince Khalid affirmed mutual understanding and ongoing military, security, and intelligence cooperation between Riyadh and Jerusalem. He commended Israel's actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon but expressed disagreement with Israel's recent decision to recognize Somaliland's independence.
Contrasting Public Rhetoric
The meeting occurred on the same day that Muslim clerics in Medina and Mecca delivered sermons, with one calling for "victory" over "Zionist aggressors" and another praying for support for those in Palestine. Hussain Abdul-Hussain of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies noted that the Saudi government selects speakers for Friday sermons.
Regional Dynamics and Foreign Policy
Regarding Saudi Arabia's relations with the UAE, Prince Khalid acknowledged recent clashes in Yemen but denied any broader shift in Saudi foreign policy or increased acceptance of the Muslim Brotherhood within the kingdom. He also highlighted Turkey's regional importance, amidst concerns about Saudi Arabia's growing alignment with Islamist actors alongside countries like Qatar and Pakistan.
Warning on Iran
Sources familiar with the discussion reported that Prince Khalid indicated that a failure by President Donald Trump to act militarily against Iran would embolden the regime.
Meeting Attendees and Reactions
Attendees included Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations CEO William Daroff, B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel Mariaschin, and Rabbi Levi Shemtov of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad). Several attendees confirmed their participation, describing the conversation as constructive and the prince's demeanor as friendly. Rabbi Shemtov noted he felt "somewhat encouraged."
The nearly two-hour meeting also involved 15 representatives from Washington-area think tanks, including Daniel Shapiro (Atlantic Council), Dennis Ross (The Washington Institute for Near East Policy), Barbara Leaf (Middle East Institute), Douglas Silliman (Arab Gulf States Institute), Rev. Johnnie Moore, Karim Sadjadpour (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), and Daniel Fried (Atlantic Council).
Earlier Engagements
Earlier on Friday, Prince Khalid met with a smaller group of pro-Israel national security experts, including Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Michael Makovsky of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Both confirmed their attendance but declined to provide details.