MbS claimed 'Saudi people would kill him' if Riyadh normalised ties with Israel: Israeli media
MbS claimed 'Saudi people would kill him' if Riyadh normalised ties with Israel: Israeli media
Israeli-American billionaire Haim Saban claimed the prince made the remarks after the UAE and Bahrain's deal with Israel.
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MbS allegedly said a normalisation deal with Israel would get him 'killed' [Getty]
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly told Israeli-American billionaire Haim Saban he would fear for his life if he struck a normalisation deal with Israel.
The Saudi crown prince, also known as MbS, said following in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain would get him "killed by Iran, by Qatar and my own people", entertainment mogul Saban claimed.
Saban made the claim at a pro-Biden online campaign event on Wednesday entitled "Israel's Security and Prosperity in a Biden White House", Haaretz reported.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which closely coordinates its foreign policy with Saudi Arabia, normalised relations with Israel in August.
Billionare Haim Saban was one of the few Democrats present when the agreements, dubbed the Abraham Accords, were signed in the White House on 15 September.
The Saudi crown prince, also known as MbS, said following in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain would get him "killed by Iran, by Qatar and my own people", entertainment mogul Saban claimed.
Saban made the claim at a pro-Biden online campaign event on Wednesday entitled "Israel's Security and Prosperity in a Biden White House", Haaretz reported.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which closely coordinates its foreign policy with Saudi Arabia, normalised relations with Israel in August.
Billionare Haim Saban was one of the few Democrats present when the agreements, dubbed the Abraham Accords, were signed in the White House on 15 September.
Speaking at Wednesday's online event, Saban, a longtime donor to the Democratic party, praised presidential hopeful Joe Biden's "47 years of commitment" to Israel.
"All Jews in America that care about the US-Israel alliance know they can sleep peacefully under a Biden presidency," Saban said.
The billionare also claimed that President Donald Trump played a minor role in securing the Abraham Accords.
"All of the credit should be going to Jared Kushner and [his aide] Avi Berkowitz, who worked really hard on it," said Saban.
President Trump has highlighted the Arab normalisation deals with Israel as a major achievement as he seeks another term in November 3 elections, with his evangelical Christan base widely supportive of the Jewish state.
President Trump has also suggested other Arab states will quickly follow suit in normalising relations with Israel.
Since then, speculation has pointed to a handful of other Arab countries, with Oman and Sudan as the most likely candidates.
Trump said last month that he also expected Saudi Arabia to recognise Israel "at the right time."
The Saudi leadership has given a largely muted response to the normalisation agreements, although the state-controlled media praised them both as a long-awaited "peace deal".
Analysts suspect that Saudi Arabia, under the de facto leadership of Mohammed bin Salman, played a key role in orchestrating and encouraging UAE and Bahrain to establish ties with Israel.
Despite having extensive under-the-table ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to sign a similar agreement while King Salman is still on the throne.
Analysts suspect that Saudi Arabia, under the de facto leadership of Mohammed bin Salman, played a key role in orchestrating and encouraging UAE and Bahrain to establish ties with Israel.
Despite having extensive under-the-table ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to sign a similar agreement while King Salman is still on the throne.
Israel's normalisation of ties with the UAE and Bahrain has however outraged the Palestinians, who have called the deals "a stab in the back", pointing out that they reward Israel while allowing it to continue with its illegal occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem and siege of Gaza.
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