Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has accused Israel of committing “collective genocide” in Gaza, marking some of his most severe criticism of the country since the conflict began last year.
Speaking at a gathering of Islamic leaders in Riyadh on Monday, MBS said: “The Kingdom reiterates its condemnation and absolute refusal of the collective genocide committed by Israel against the brotherly Palestinian people.”
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The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 43,000 since Israel initiated its attacks, with further casualties reported on Tuesday.
At least 30 people were killed in Gaza city and northern Gaza, with many still trapped under rubble, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal. The Israeli military has not yet responded to these claims.
At the time of the violence, Saudi Arabia was in talks with Israel for a potential historic normalization deal, but Riyadh has since stated that such a deal is “off the table” without Palestinian statehood, a condition that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected.
MBS also defended Iran, a significant shift from his earlier stance. In 2017, he had likened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Adolf Hitler, but this time he called for the international community to “compel Israel to respect Iran’s sovereignty and not to attack Iranian territories.” Saudi Arabia and Iran restored diplomatic ties last year after decades of hostility.
In addition to MBS, the conference hosted other leaders, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
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Iran sent its First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, who mourned the deaths of key Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, despite Saudi Arabia’s opposition to groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.
The meeting, aimed at unifying positions and urging international action to stop the violence and establish peace, saw tensions over Turkey’s military presence in northern Syria and its backing of rebel groups.
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