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Saudi journalist: Palestinians are a scourge on the countries that host them

August 14, 2019 at 2:25 pm

Saudi columnist Mohammed Al Shaikh [Mohammed Al Shaikh/Twitter]

A Saudi columnist has called Palestinians a scourge on the countries that host them.

Mohammed Al Shaikh who writes for Al Jazirah newspaper posted a tweet on 9 August which he reposted yesterday to say: “Palestinians are a scourge on the countries that host them. Jordan hosted them and it was a black September, Lebanon suffered a civil war. Kuwait hosted them and they became soldiers for [former Iraqi President] Saddam [Hussein].”

He went on to accuse Palestinians of using social media and other platforms to “insult” Saudi Arabia and its positions.

“No one is able to deal with them except the Israeli Defence Forces,” he concluded.

Al Shaikh is the latest Saudi to attack Palestinians. Earlier this month, activist Souad Al-Shammari appeared on Israeli TV and said “many Saudis” want to visit the occupation state.

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“Visiting Israel is probably the dream of many Saudis and those of the Gulf and Arab states alike.”

Her appearance on Israeli TV has sparked further criticism of Saudi Arabia, which has been seen to be normalising relations with Tel Aviv in recent months.

Last month, Saudi blogger Mohammed Saud toured occupied Jerusalem following an invitation from Tel Aviv. He met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Yair and visited the Muslim holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque however he was forced out of the area after he was insulted by Palestinian worshippers who called him a “traitor”.

He later called on Israelis to come to Saudi.

Saudi King Salman regularly reiterates the kingdom’s commitment to attaining the rights of Palestinians however his son, the de facto ruler of the oil-rich state, has been seen to be cosying up to Western states and Israel to ensure his continued reign.

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