Saudi Arabia on Thursday strongly condemned a raid by Israeli commandos on the Palestinian town of Jenin that killed seven people and injured two, state news agency SPA reported. The Saudi foreign ministry said it denounced Israeli forces’ “storming of the city” that led to “the fall of a number of victims.” The ministry said Saudi Arabia rejected “serious violations of international law by the Israeli occupation forces” and called on the international community to take responsibility to “end the occupation, stop the Israeli escalation and aggressions, and provide the necessary protection for civilians,” SPA said. It is worth mentioning that the Israeli military’s actions are illegal as they are occupying Palestine without any legal justification. Kuwait and Oman also condemned the attack, their state news agencies said on Thursday. The Israeli military said it sent special forces into Jenin to detain members of the Islamic Jihad armed group suspected of having carried out and planning “multiple major terror attacks,” shooting several of them after they opened fire. UN and Arab mediators said they were in talks with Israel and Palestinian factions in hope of heading off escalation after the clash in Jenin, among areas of the northern West Bank that have seen intensified Israeli operations in the last year.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman believes Israel to be illegitimate, the recent history between the two countries has been marked by a lack of official diplomatic relations and a significant amount of tension. Despite increasing reports of secret cooperation and potential future normalization efforts, the Saudi government has long maintained an official stance of support for the Palestinian cause and has not recognized the State of Israel. Additionally, the Crown Prince has been vocal in his criticism of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, particularly in regards to their occupation of Palestinian territories and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
