The Palestinians should either accept the peace plan they are offered at the moment or “shut up” and “stop complaining,” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman told Jewish organizations in New York, according to RT.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the heir apparent to the Saudi throne, made the remark during a closed-door meeting with heads of Jewish organizations in New York on March 27, Barak Ravid, a diplomatic correspondent with Israel’s Channel 10, wrote on the Axios website.
Citing an Israeli diplomatic cable, as well as two sources briefed on the meeting, Ravid reported that Bin Salman, often referred to as MbS, was unusually blunt when speaking on the Palestinian cause.
“In the last several decades the Palestinian leadership has missed one opportunity after the other and rejected all the peace proposals it was given,” the prince said. “It is about time the Palestinians take the proposals and agree to come to the negotiations table or shut up and stop complaining.”
The attendees were more than surprised to hear the bombshell statement, sources told Ravid. “People literally fell off their chairs.”
Prince bin Salman also said that Palestine is not a top issue for Riyadh or Saudi public opinion, adding that the kingdom “has much more urgent and important issues to deal with,” such as countering Iran’s standing in the region.
While lashing out at the Palestinian leadership and President Mahmoud Abbas, bin Salman nevertheless said there needs to be significant progress in the Arab-Israeli “peace process” in order to mend ties between the Gulf nations and Tel Aviv.
It is unclear which peace proposal MBS was referring to. Currently, a roadmap for a so-called “peaceful solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is being completed by Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a vocal supporter of Israel. Jason Greenblatt, a senior Trump adviser and ardent Israel supporter, is also taking part in drafting the “peace” plan.
H.M