Saudi arrests critics of Israel as normalisation talks continue

Saudi Arabian citizens have faced increasing arrests for criticising Israel on social media in recent months as a result of its ongoing military onslaught against Gaza.

According to Bloomberg, one detainee was an executive involved in Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s economic development initiatives including the kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Another reportedly urged Saudi citizens to boycott American  brands operating in the Gulf kingdom as well as a media figure who said Israel should never be forgiven.

A source close to the Saudi government, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the arrests are motivated by concerns over potential threats to the country’s security from pro-Iranian influences.

There are no official records of how many people have been arrested since 7 October 2023 for voicing concerns about Israel’s actions in Gaza.

This crackdown coincides with ongoing efforts by the United States to facilitate the normalisation of ties between Riyadh and Israel.

Read: Biden urged to include safeguards in any nuclear power deal with Saudi Arabia

During a recent visit to the Gulf state, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked that intensive negotiations over the past week have brought the parties “potentially very close to completion.” Meanwhile Saudi Arabia has repeatedly announced that it will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel until an independent Palestinian state is established.

Israel has waged a genocidal offensive against Palestinians in Gaza since 7 October, killing more than 34,500 men, women and children, and wounding over 77,000 others, reported Wafa news agency.

The Israeli offensive has left 85 per cent of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60 per cent of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). An interim ruling by the World Court in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. South Africa, which took the apartheid state to the ICJ, has since warned that Israel is ignoring the court’s ruling. Israel denies all charges against it.