WASHINGTON, 2 March 2004 — Saudi Ambassador to the United States Prince Bandar bin Sultan said his country has revised its tourism website, adding he was embarrassed by the announcement on the site that promoted tourism to the Kingdom — with the exception of Jews.
The move came after Congressman Anthony Weiner, D-NY, a frequent critic of United States policy toward Saudi Arabia, said last week that the Kingdom’s new visa policy outlined on a tourist website (www.sauditourism.gov.sa/sct) should be condemned by American officials. The website, promoting a new Saudi program to offer tourist visas to encourage more foreign visitors, listed four groups not entitled to tourist visas, including “Jewish People.”
In addition to Jews, the website by the Supreme Commission for Tourism had said it would also refuse visas to anyone with an Israeli passport or a passport that has an Israeli stamp, which ultimately included Israeli Arabs.
“It is very difficult to see the Saudis as anything other than a backward country with backward ideals and this reaffirms that,” said Weiner. “I think the administration should take a hard look at this website and decide whether a country that has these policies should be considered our ally.”
Weiner said the US should close its doors to Saudis until they “clarify” their immigration policy.
Critics noted that Saudi Arabia previously did not have an explicit ban on Jews traveling to Saudi Arabia, though people with Israeli passports or with Israeli stamps in their documents, have not been allowed in.
Responding to the criticism, Prince Bandar said he was upset with Congressman Weiner’s statement because the Saudi Embassy had already informed his office that the posting on the website was a mistake, and he criticized him for calling Saudi Arabia a “backward country.”
“I am surprised that Rep. Weiner would issue a statement after his office was advised by the embassy that the concerns he raised were not the Kingdom’s policy,” Prince Bandar said in a statement.
“At this time, we should be working toward greater understanding and better relations between the United States and the Middle East. Rep. Weiner and his actions only served to spread doubt and mistrust.”
Embassy spokesman Nail Al-Jubeir told the Internet news service WorldNet Daily, which first reported the story Friday, that Israelis are barred because Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic relations with Israel.
“We have no rules regarding Jews or, for that matter, any religious believer.”
Al-Jubeir said he was “stunned” when he saw the website. “That is not our policy. The tourism board is looking into how it got there.”
This is the first time Saudi Arabia will issue tourist visas. Travel to the Kingdom has previously been limited to business, employment, and pilgrims and specially approved visits. The new tourism law is expected within weeks.
