Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIYADH129
2009-01-19 15:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
INFLUENTIAL SAUDI PRINCE SPEAKS CANDIDLY ABOUT GAZA
how-toVZCZCXRO0034 PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHROV DE RUEHRH #0129 0191518 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 191518Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9930 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000129
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS,
PASS TO NEA/ARP JOSHUA HARRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL PTER
SUBJECT: INFLUENTIAL SAUDI PRINCE SPEAKS CANDIDLY ABOUT GAZA
Classified By: CG Joseph Kenny for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
--------------
(C) Key Points
--------------
-- HRH Prince Mishari bin Saud Al Saud told the Consul
General that ) whether true or not - Arabs view the U.S. as
being responsible for the Israeli war in Gaza. He prefaced
this comment by stating his displeasure of Hamas.
-- Prince Mishari also said that this war will only ingrain a
deep-seated and lasting hatred among the surviving children
of Gaza, which he believes is not in the best interest of
Israel or the United States.
-- With respect to the incoming administration of
President-elect Obama, Prince Mishari communicated a sense of
tempered optimism for a new U.S. role in the Middle East that
was not focused so heavily on terrorism.
-----------
(C) Comment
-----------
-- Prince Mishari's comments reflect a broader consensus
among the elite, well-educated classes of Saudi Arabia.
Though they overtly demonstrate little sympathy for Hamas,
they believe that the average Arab only sees the innocent
Palestinian bloodshed. Therefore, in their minds, the
Israeli offensive in Gaza can never be justified and its
ally, the U.S., will ultimately shoulder the blame for this
perceived injustice.
End key points and comment.
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000129
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS,
PASS TO NEA/ARP JOSHUA HARRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL PTER
SUBJECT: INFLUENTIAL SAUDI PRINCE SPEAKS CANDIDLY ABOUT GAZA
Classified By: CG Joseph Kenny for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
--------------
(C) Key Points
--------------
-- HRH Prince Mishari bin Saud Al Saud told the Consul
General that ) whether true or not - Arabs view the U.S. as
being responsible for the Israeli war in Gaza. He prefaced
this comment by stating his displeasure of Hamas.
-- Prince Mishari also said that this war will only ingrain a
deep-seated and lasting hatred among the surviving children
of Gaza, which he believes is not in the best interest of
Israel or the United States.
-- With respect to the incoming administration of
President-elect Obama, Prince Mishari communicated a sense of
tempered optimism for a new U.S. role in the Middle East that
was not focused so heavily on terrorism.
--------------
(C) Comment
--------------
-- Prince Mishari's comments reflect a broader consensus
among the elite, well-educated classes of Saudi Arabia.
Though they overtly demonstrate little sympathy for Hamas,
they believe that the average Arab only sees the innocent
Palestinian bloodshed. Therefore, in their minds, the
Israeli offensive in Gaza can never be justified and its
ally, the U.S., will ultimately shoulder the blame for this
perceived injustice.
End key points and comment.
1. (C) HRH Prince Mishari bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,
deputy commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)
in the Eastern Province (EP),met with Consul General (CG)
Kenny at the Consulate in Dhahran on Sunday, January 18.
PolOff and RSO were also present. The Prince is the second
ranking royal family member in the EP, after the Emir Prince
Mohammed bin Fahd. Also, as head of SANG in the EP and a son
of the late King Saud, he has the ear and support of King
Abdullah and is very close to Crown Prince Sultan.
2. (C) Prince Mishari spoke at length on Gaza and told the
CG, "I am speaking to you as a friend, not as an official."
He began his commentary by acknowledging the problematic
nature of Hamas, but then quickly went into a criticism of
the Israeli offensive. In his view, the Arab world only sees
women and children being killed by the hundreds. He gestured
toward the CG with his hand and said that he knows "Americans
like you" don't agree with this war, but nevertheless the
average Arab will blame the U.S.
3. (C) The influential prince warned of the consequences that
these "three weeks of war" will have on the psyche of Gazan
children. He believes it will instill "hatred" among the
children as they will always remember the death and perceived
injustice of this war. Finally, he stated that regardless of
whether it is warranted or not, the U.S. will be blamed just
as severely as Israel. In the Prince's opinion, the Gaza war
is detrimental to the U.S.'s national interest.
4. (C) Prince Mishari also congratulated the United States on
the incoming administration of President-elect Obama. He
said that he was optimistic that Obama would provide a new
perspective on U.S. policy in the Middle East, a
not-so-subtle reference to the U.S. stance on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also said that President
Bush understandably focused almost exclusively on terrorism
during his tenure, but believed that it was time for the U.S.
to shift focus.
(Approved: JKenny)
FRAKER
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS,
PASS TO NEA/ARP JOSHUA HARRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL PTER
SUBJECT: INFLUENTIAL SAUDI PRINCE SPEAKS CANDIDLY ABOUT GAZA
Classified By: CG Joseph Kenny for reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
--------------
(C) Key Points
--------------
-- HRH Prince Mishari bin Saud Al Saud told the Consul
General that ) whether true or not - Arabs view the U.S. as
being responsible for the Israeli war in Gaza. He prefaced
this comment by stating his displeasure of Hamas.
-- Prince Mishari also said that this war will only ingrain a
deep-seated and lasting hatred among the surviving children
of Gaza, which he believes is not in the best interest of
Israel or the United States.
-- With respect to the incoming administration of
President-elect Obama, Prince Mishari communicated a sense of
tempered optimism for a new U.S. role in the Middle East that
was not focused so heavily on terrorism.
--------------
(C) Comment
--------------
-- Prince Mishari's comments reflect a broader consensus
among the elite, well-educated classes of Saudi Arabia.
Though they overtly demonstrate little sympathy for Hamas,
they believe that the average Arab only sees the innocent
Palestinian bloodshed. Therefore, in their minds, the
Israeli offensive in Gaza can never be justified and its
ally, the U.S., will ultimately shoulder the blame for this
perceived injustice.
End key points and comment.
1. (C) HRH Prince Mishari bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,
deputy commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)
in the Eastern Province (EP),met with Consul General (CG)
Kenny at the Consulate in Dhahran on Sunday, January 18.
PolOff and RSO were also present. The Prince is the second
ranking royal family member in the EP, after the Emir Prince
Mohammed bin Fahd. Also, as head of SANG in the EP and a son
of the late King Saud, he has the ear and support of King
Abdullah and is very close to Crown Prince Sultan.
2. (C) Prince Mishari spoke at length on Gaza and told the
CG, "I am speaking to you as a friend, not as an official."
He began his commentary by acknowledging the problematic
nature of Hamas, but then quickly went into a criticism of
the Israeli offensive. In his view, the Arab world only sees
women and children being killed by the hundreds. He gestured
toward the CG with his hand and said that he knows "Americans
like you" don't agree with this war, but nevertheless the
average Arab will blame the U.S.
3. (C) The influential prince warned of the consequences that
these "three weeks of war" will have on the psyche of Gazan
children. He believes it will instill "hatred" among the
children as they will always remember the death and perceived
injustice of this war. Finally, he stated that regardless of
whether it is warranted or not, the U.S. will be blamed just
as severely as Israel. In the Prince's opinion, the Gaza war
is detrimental to the U.S.'s national interest.
4. (C) Prince Mishari also congratulated the United States on
the incoming administration of President-elect Obama. He
said that he was optimistic that Obama would provide a new
perspective on U.S. policy in the Middle East, a
not-so-subtle reference to the U.S. stance on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also said that President
Bush understandably focused almost exclusively on terrorism
during his tenure, but believed that it was time for the U.S.
to shift focus.
(Approved: JKenny)
FRAKER