Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman at the Islamic conference (snippet)

Saudi Crown Prince MBS Slams Israel, Backs Iran in Odd Diplomatic Shift

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International

In a dramatic and confounding reversal, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has made a sharp pivot away from Israel, a country with whom Saudi Arabia was seemingly warming relations, and has instead aligned with one of its historical rivals, Iran. This unexpected stance has set the stage for a significant shift in Middle Eastern diplomacy, just a year after MBS had engaged in unprecedented discussions on normalizing relations with Israel, downplaying the Palestinian issue as secondary in negotiations.

In his strongest criticism yet, the Saudi leader accused Israel of perpetrating “collective genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza, a condemnation that sharply contrasts with the kingdom’s previous position. This harsh rebuke was delivered during a high-profile gathering of Islamic leaders in Riyadh on Monday. There, MBS, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, declared: “The Kingdom reiterates its condemnation and absolute refusal of the collective genocide committed by Israel against the brotherly Palestinian people.”

From Historical Hostility to Stark Defense of Iran

Equally startling was MBS’s defense of Iran—an arch-rival Saudi Arabia has historically viewed as a destabilizing force. The Prince's support for Iran during his speech marks a significant shift from his infamous 2017 comparison of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Adolf Hitler, a stance that underscored the deep-seated enmity between the two powers. But on Monday, he urged the global community to "compel Israel to respect Iran’s sovereignty and not to attack Iranian territories."

The timing of this appeal is striking, given recent intelligence that points to Israel as a protector of Saudi Arabia’s own security against Iranian aggression. According to reports, some verified by American intelligence, Israel had been intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles and neutralizing Iran’s drone capabilities which served to help protect Saudi territory as well as that of other nations in the region. Nevertheless, MBS failed to condemn Iran for its direct attacks against Israel, which prompted Israel’s defensive strikes. Notably, Saudi Arabia even played a role in intercepting Iranian rockets launched towards Israel earlier this year, a stark reminder of the regional dangers posed by Tehran.

A New Saudi Stance on Palestinian Support

This departure from the norm isn’t limited to Iran. Saudi Arabia has recently increased its vocal support for Palestinian statehood, adopting a policy stance that now conditions any future normalization agreement with Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state—a point Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rejected. Just last year, the kingdom appeared to be on the cusp of negotiating a breakthrough peace deal with Israel, a moment that now feels like a distant memory as MBS shifts his focus to Palestinian advocacy.

Iran’s Presence and the Unusual Gathering of Leaders

Further underlining the Kingdom’s shift, Iran sent its First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, to the Riyadh summit. During his speech, Aref memorialized figures like Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, underscoring Iran's close ties to these groups. Despite decades of sectarian hostility between the Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and the Shia-led Iran, both powers appear to have temporarily shelved their rivalries to unite in a common stance against Israel. This reconciliation is even more astonishing given Saudi Arabia’s traditional opposition to Iran-backed militias like Hezbollah and Hamas—groups notorious for regional instability and violent conflict.

Attending this unprecedented assembly were Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The latter two leaders bring controversial histories to the table: Erdogan for his military campaigns against Kurdish populations, and Assad for a brutal civil war that has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands in Syria.

Calls for “Unity” and International Pressure on Israel

Saudi Arabia’s state-controlled news agency described the summit’s goals as aiming for “unifying positions” among Islamic nations and “exerting pressure” on the international community to address the ongoing conflict and pursue “lasting peace” in the region. However, the call for unity may prove more symbolic than substantive, as the intricate web of alliances and longstanding sectarian rivalries among the summit’s attendees makes cohesion challenging.

A Potential Shift in Middle Eastern Alliances

The implications of this diplomatic shift are profound. If Saudi Arabia continues along this path, the Middle East could see a recalibration of alliances with Iran potentially assuming a greater role in Riyadh’s foreign policy calculus. For Israel, the reversal could mean a more challenging regional environment, particularly as Saudi Arabia aligns itself more closely with Iran and Palestinian interests.

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