{"id":7612,"date":"2023-07-02T15:30:53","date_gmt":"2023-07-02T12:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/?p=7612"},"modified":"2026-03-11T15:05:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T12:05:26","slug":"saudi-king-tells-arab-leaders-that-u-s-occupation-of-iraq-is-illegal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/saudi-king-tells-arab-leaders-that-u-s-occupation-of-iraq-is-illegal\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi king tells Arab leaders that U.S. occupation of Iraq is illegal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\">\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n<header class=\"css-11kk65x e12qa4dv0\">\r\n<div class=\"css-xt80pu eakwutd0\" data-testid=\"byline-timestamp\">\r\n<div class=\"css-103l8m3\">\r\n<div class=\"css-1e2jphy epjyd6m1\">\r\n<div class=\"css-233int epjyd6m0\">\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; color: #0000ff;\">Bush wants to make it look like he is solving the problem,&#8221; Rasheed said. &#8220;The king wants to actually solve the problems.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p class=\"css-4anu6l e1jsehar1\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\"><span class=\"byline-prefix\">By\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"css-1baulvz last-byline\"><a class=\"css-n8ff4n e1jsehar0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/by\/hassan-m-fattah\">Hassan M. Fattah<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"css-8atqhb\" data-testid=\"reading-time-module\">\r\n<ul class=\"css-1cgskve epjyd6m3\">\r\n<li class=\"css-ccw2r3 epjyd6m2\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\"><time class=\"css-1z1nqv e16638kd0\" datetime=\"2007-03-29T01:00:00-04:00\">March 29, 2007<\/time><\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/header>\r\n<section class=\"meteredContent css-1r7ky0e\">\r\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\">\r\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong class=\"css-8qgvsz ebyp5n10\">RIYADH \u2014\u00a0<\/strong>King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has told Arab leaders that the U.S. occupation of Iraq is illegal and warned that unless Arab governments settle their differences, foreign powers like the United States will continue to dictate the region&#8217;s politics.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The king&#8217;s speech Wednesday, at the opening of the Arab League summit meeting here, underscored growing differences between Saudi Arabia and the Bush administration as the Saudis take on a greater leadership role in the Middle East, partly at U.S. urging.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The Saudis seem to be emphasizing that they will not be beholden to the policies of their longtime ally.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">They brokered a deal between the two main Palestinian factions last month, but one that Israel and the United States found deeply problematic because it added to the power of the radical group Hamas rather than the more moderate Fatah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-8atqhb\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">On Wednesday, Abdullah called for an end to the international boycott of the new Palestinian government. The United States and Israel want the boycott continued.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">In addition, Abdullah this month invited President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran to Riyadh, while the Americans want him shunned.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">And in trying to settle the tensions in Lebanon, the Saudis have been willing to negotiate with Iran and Hezbollah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Last week, the Saudi king canceled his appearance next month at a White House dinner in his honor, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. The official reason given was a scheduling conflict, the paper said.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Mustapha Hamarneh, director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan, said the Saudis were sending Washington a message. &#8220;They are telling the U.S. they need to listen to their allies rather than imposing decisions on them and always taking Israel&#8217;s side,&#8221; Hamarneh said.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-8atqhb\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">In his speech, the king said: &#8220;In the beloved Iraq, the bloodshed is continuing under an illegal foreign occupation and detestable sectarianism. The blame should fall on us, the leaders of the Arab nation, with our ongoing differences, our refusal to walk the path of unity. All that has made the nation lose its confidence in us.&#8221;<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Abdullah has not publicly spoken so harshly about the U.S.-led military intervention in Iraq before, and his latest remarks suggest that his alliance with Washington may be less harmonious than administration officials have been hoping.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Since last summer, the administration has asserted that a realignment is occurring in the Middle East, one that groups Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon along with Israel against Iran, Syria and the militant groups those countries back, Hezbollah of Lebanon and Hamas.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Washington has urged Riyadh to take a leading role in such a realignment but is finding itself disappointed by the results.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Some in Riyadh said the king&#8217;s speech was in fact a response to comments Monday by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, calling on Arab governments to &#8220;begin reaching out to Israel.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-8atqhb\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Many read Rice&#8217;s comments as suggesting that the administration was backing away from its support for an Arab initiative aimed at solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel wants the Arabs to make changes in the terms, most notably the call for a right of return for Palestinian refugees to what is today Israel. The Arab League is endorsing the initiative, first introduced by Saudi Arabia in 2002, without changes.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The plan calls on Israel to withdraw from all land it won in the 1967 war in exchange for full diplomatic relations with the Arab world. It also calls for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Regarding the Palestinians, the king said Wednesday, &#8220;It has become necessary to end the unjust blockade imposed on the Palestinian people as soon as possible so that the peace process can move in an atmosphere far from oppression and force.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">With regard to Iraq, the Saudis seem to be paying some attention to internal U.S. politics. The Senate on Tuesday backed legislation calling for a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq in exchange for further funding for the war.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Last November, officials in Riyadh realized that a Democratic upset could spell major changes for the Middle East: a possible pullout from Iraq, fueling further instability and, more important, allowing Iran to extend its influence in the region.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-8atqhb\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">&#8220;I don&#8217;t think that the Saudi government has decided to distance itself from Bush just yet,&#8221; said Adel al-Toraifi, a columnist here with close ties to the Saudi government. &#8220;But I also think that the Saudis have seen that the ball is moving into the court of the Democrats, and they want to extend their hand to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.&#8221;<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; color: #0000ff;\">Turki al-Rasheed, who runs a organization promoting democracy in Saudi Arabia, said the king was &#8220;saying we may be moving on the same track, but our ends are different.&#8221;<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; color: #0000ff;\">&#8220;Bush wants to make it look like he is solving the problem,&#8221; Rasheed said. &#8220;The king wants to actually solve the problems.&#8221;<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Abdullah said the loss of confidence in Arab leaders had allowed U.S. and other forces to hold significant sway in the region.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">&#8220;If confidence is restored, it will be accompanied by credibility,&#8221; he said, &#8220;and if credibility is restored, then the winds of hope will blow, and then we will never allow outside forces to define our future nor allow banners to be raised in Arab lands other than those of Arabism, brothers.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n<div class=\"css-8atqhb\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">The Saudis sought to enforce discipline on the two-day summit conference, reminding Arab leaders and dignitaries to stay on message and leave with some kind of solution in hand.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn\">\r\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">&#8220;The weight of the Saudis has ensured that this will be a problem-free summit,&#8221; said Ayman Safadi, editor in chief of the Jordanian daily Al Ghad. &#8220;Nobody is going to veer from the message and go against the Saudis. But that doesn&#8217;t mean the problems themselves will be solved.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Secretary General Ban Ki Moon of the United Nations gave a stark assessment in an address to the meeting, saying in unsparing language that the region was &#8220;more complex, more fragile and more dangerous than it has been for a very long time.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">There is a shocking daily loss of life in Iraq, the South Korean said, and Somalia is in the grip of &#8220;banditry, violence and clan rivalries.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Iran, which on Saturday had sanctions imposed against it by the Security Council for the second time, is &#8220;forging ahead with its nuclear program heedless of regional and international concerns,&#8221; Ban added.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\"><em class=\"css-2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0\">Nada Bakri contributed reporting from Beirut, Rasheed Abou-Alsamh from Jidda and Warren Hoge from Riyadh.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<div class=\"bottom-of-article\">\r\n<div>\r\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2007\/03\/29\/news\/29iht-arabs.1.5070005.html?searchResultPosition=6\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\">The International Herald Tribune<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"css-13ldwoe\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\">A version of this article appears in print on\u00a0<span class=\"css-1dmwf73\" data-testid=\"todays-date\">March 29, 2007<\/span>\u00a0in The International Herald Tribune.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.parsintl.com\/publication\/the-new-york-times\/\">Order Reprints<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/section\/todayspaper\">Today\u2019s Paper<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/subscriptions\/Multiproduct\/lp8HYKU.html?campaignId=48JQY\">Subscribe<\/a><\/span><\/div>\r\n<div>https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2007\/03\/29\/news\/29iht-arabs.1.5070005.html?searchResultPosition=6<\/div>\r\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\"><\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Bush wants to make it look like he is solving the problem,&#8221; Rasheed said. &#8220;The king wants to actually solve the problems. By\u00a0Hassan [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7612"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7612\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7866,"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7612\/revisions\/7866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tfrasheed.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}