JEDDAH, 3 August 2006 — Saudi Arabia yesterday criticized the United States for doing nothing to stop the Israeli military aggression against Lebanon and urged Washington to press for an immediate cease-fire.
“We disagree with the US policy in this regard ... the United States is the super power and it can seek an immediate cease-fire,” Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said. Addressing a news conference here, Prince Saud also spoke about the possibility of holding an Arab ministerial meeting in Beirut soon in support of the Lebanese government.
In his wide-ranging press conference, the Saudi chief diplomat said Israel was seeking to achieve suspicious objectives by continuing its military campaign in Lebanon without listening to international calls for an immediate truce.
Asked whether oil would be used as a weapon if the current situation deteriorates, he said it would not be in the interest of Arab nations and their people. However, he said the oil wealth must be utilized to strengthen the defense and economic infrastructure of Arab countries.
Speaking about threats against Syria, he said, “If there is any threat against Syria, which is a member of the Arab League, all Arab countries will confront any aggression against any Arab country,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Prince Saud as telling reporters.
He said Washington has a moral responsibility to prevent Israel from using US weapons to kill innocent people. He also said he hoped that the US would change its policy toward Lebanon, a democratic country that faces inhuman and unjustified attacks for reasons not caused by the Beirut government.
The minister also slammed US plans for a “new Middle East” that Washington says is aimed at promoting peace and democracy in the region.
“We would like to return to the old Middle East as we did not see anything in the new Middle East apart from more problems,” he said. “The Middle East is not an uninhabited area, it has people, governments and our destiny is determined after God’s will by its people.”
Prince Saud also narrated the efforts being made by Saudi Arabia to achieve an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon, adding that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had sent messages to leaders of the permanent UN Security Council members in this respect. He hinted at the possibility of changing the scheduled foreign visits of the king and other officials considering the present situation. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia would take adequate precautions to strengthen its security and confront any danger.
He said the international move to achieve a cease-fire would fail as long as Israel continues its repulsive aggression against Lebanese and Palestinian people. He said the Qana massacre that claimed the lives of 62 people, mostly women and children, should have moved the world to press for an immediate cessation of the Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
“A cease-fire is essential to reach the most wanted humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people and prepare the ground for finding political solutions to the crisis through negotiations between the relevant parties,” he explained.
Prince Saud said any solution to end the crisis should support Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty and expand the Lebanese government’s power over all of its territory on the basis of the Taif Accord. He also urged the international community to work earnestly to end the plight of Palestinians.
He called upon Arab countries to take a united stand. “We should talk on these issues in one voice at international forums and the United Nations. We should also unite against the ideology that tries to tamper with the Arab national security and create an explosive situation in the region by causing division among its countries,” he said.
