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SAUDI-ISRAEL-POLITICS REAX
Saudi Arabia slams ‘racial discrimination’ of Israeli law
RIYADH, July 21, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Saudi Arabia has slammed a controversial
Israeli law as “perpetuating racial discrimination” against Palestinians by
defining the country as the nation state of the Jewish people, state media
reported.
The law adopted by Israel’s parliament on Thursday also defines the
establishment of Jewish communities as being in the national interest and
downgrades Arabic from an official language to one with special status.
Citing a Saudi foreign ministry source, the official Saudi Press Agency
said late Friday the kingdom “rejects and disapproves” of the new legislation
which it argued contradicts international law.
The source called on the international community to “confront such a law
and or other Israeli attempts, aimed at perpetuating racial discrimination
against the Palestinian people”, SPA reported.
Saudi Arabia said the adoption of the law would also be a barrier to
ending the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Earlier this year King Salman reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s “steadfast”
support for the Palestinian cause, after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
signalled a shift in the country’s approach.
Prince Mohammed in April said in a magazine interview that Israelis as
well as Palestinians “have the right to have their own land”.
Arab citizens account for some 17.5 percent of Israel’s more than eight
million population and have long complained of discrimination.
The Israeli legislation was also condemned by the six-nation Gulf
Cooperation Council, comprised of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar
and the United Arab Emirates.
Adoption of the law “reflected the regime of racism and discrimination
against the Palestinian people,” GCC secretary general Abdullatif al-Zayani
was quoted by SPA as saying.
Zayani accused Israel of trying to obliterate the Palestinians’ “national
identity and depriving them of their legitimate civil and human rights on
their occupied homeland”.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1545 hrs