Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia reportedly said that Palestinians should accept whatever peace terms the United States offer or “shut up and stop complaining”, according to Israeli media and American diplomatic sources.
The crown prince also slammed the Palestinian leadership, stating that Palestinian statehood was not a priority for Saudi, Israel’s Channel 10 news reports.
He was reported to have said: “In the last several decades the Palestinian leadership has missed one opportunity after the other and rejected all the peace proposals it was given.
“It is about time the Palestinians take the proposals and agree to come to the negotiations table or shut up and stop complaining.”
According to Channel 10, the comments were made on Tuesday 27 March at a meeting in New York with heads of American Jewish organisations.
Channel 10 cited an Israeli foreign ministry cable sent by a diplomat from the Israeli consulate in New York, as well three sources – American and Israeli – who were briefed about the meeting.
US President Donald Trump has said he is offering Palestinians the “deal of the century”, but diplomats and Trump’s advisers have made it clear that Palestinian approval is not required.
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Trump also recognised Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel last December which drew international criticism.
MBS reportedly pressed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to accept the US plan for “peace” after Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem, and gave the Palestinian leadership the terms.
However, the Palestinian leadership has boycotted the White House since Trump’s Jerusalem announcement.
Abbas said the US was no longer an “honest broker” in Palestine-Israel peace talks.
Channel 10 diplomatic correspondent Barak Ravid reported a source briefed on the MBS meeting in New York as saying that some of those in attendance “literally fell off their chairs”.
