News / Saudi Arabia

Saudis launch campaign to oppose normalization of ties with Israel

Monday, 01 August 2016 7:53 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 01 August 2016 8:22 AM ]

Israel’s foreign ministry director general Dore Gold and the a former Saudi military general, Anwar Eshki, shake hands at a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) event.

People in Saudi Arabia have launched a campaign on social media dubbed “Saudis against normalization” to express their opposition to the Riyadh government’s attempts to develop ties with the Israeli regime.

Under the hashtag #SaudisAgainstNormalization, the Saudi activists condemned a July visit to Israel by a delegation headed by a former military general, Anwar Eshki, who met a senior Israeli foreign ministry official and a number of Israeli parliament members.

They said the delegation did not represent the Saudi people.

Israeli daily Haaretz called the visit “a highly unusual one,” saying Eshki couldn’t have traveled to Israel without approval from the Saudi government.

Retired Saudi General Anwar Eshki (5th-R) and other Saudis meet with Israeli Knesset members in Jerusalem al-Quds, July 22, 2016. (Photo by Haaretz)

Saudi Arabia and Israel have no diplomatic relations. However, increasing reports have been surfacing about the two regimes having secret relations.

Most Arab governments have no diplomatic relations with Israel. Egypt and Qatar are the only two Arab states to have open diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv.

In their social media campaign, Saudi internet users have also voiced support for the Palestinian cause, and reiterated their rejection of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the regime’s crimes against Palestinian people.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has welcomed the campaign.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk