RIYADH, 24 October — Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said yesterday that US failure to rein in Israeli military actions against Palestinians was poisoning Arab opinion toward Washington.
In a Reuters interview, Prince Saud also said he was optimistic there would not be a US-led attack on Iraq, because of US willingness to work through the United Nations.
Asked about anti-American attitudes in Saudi Arabia, one of Washington’s oldest allies in the Middle East and a key member of the 1991 Gulf War alliance against Iraq, Prince Saud said only one thing prompted criticism and this was US support for Israel.
He said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon claimed he had full backing for his actions against Palestinians following a string of bombings. "If this is not true, we think the United States should deny it. But Mr. Sharon says he has the go-ahead of the United States and this is what is poisoning attitudes in the Arab world," Prince Saud said, adding that Israel used US planes and military equipment for its campaign against Palestinians. Asked what Washington should do, Prince Saud said: "Stop Israeli attacks on the Palestinians...and start serious negotiations for peace."
At least 1,625 Palestinians have been killed since the uprising began in September 2000.
Prince Saud said he hoped US President George W. Bush’s willingness to work through the United Nations on Iraq would not only lessen the chance of war but remove it altogether.
Asked if he believed there would be no war, he replied: "Of course, I am optimistic. I hope it will lead to a peaceful solution. That is the best of all worlds."
He said he saw no reason for military action against Iraq if Baghdad responded positively to UN resolutions as it had promised fellow Arab countries. "Indeed that is what the (US) president has indicated. His intent is not military action."
The UN Security Council has been deadlocked for a month on a new resolution on sending arms inspectors into Iraq to look for weapons of mass destruction, with strong opposition from veto-wielding nations France and Russia to a tough US draft.
