Too high a cost
New political ties with Saudi Arabia could come with steep price
The Americans noted that a Saudi official was involved in the transfer of the funds. IIRO is not a privately owned organization, but rather, part of the Saudi establishment – the executing arm of the World Muslim Organization, an international Saudi charity organization, headed by Saudi Arabia's mufti.
The Saudi defense minister, Crown Prince Sultan, is one of the organization's supporters. During Operation Defensive Shield, the IDF found IIRO documents that documented the transfer of funds to Hamas. The story of Saudi Arabia and the IIRO demonstrates the difficulties involved in Israeli and Saudi ties.
Broadening ties with Arab states
It is commendable that Israel is broadening its ties with Arab states in preparing the groundwork for future regional peace. However, when it concerns Saudi Arabia, it should be remembered that 15 out of the 19 terrorists who attacked the US on September 11th, 2001 were Saudis. It should not be forgotten that Osama bin Laden was born and raised in Saudi Arabia as well.
In 2002, Saudi Arabia promoted a peace initiative between Israel and the Arab states.
It was based on Israel's full withdrawal from the entire West Bank and East Jerusalem. Behind the initiative stood Adel al-Jubeir, King Abdullah's foreign policy advisor, who was dispatched to the US after September 11th to coordinate Saudi Arabia's public relations stance in America. Al-Jubeir's involvement indicated that that the Saudi initiative was primarily an integral part of this public relations effort, and not a real political exchange led by the Saudi kingdom.
Even followers of the Saudi initiative find it difficult to explain how extending a hand towards Israel fits in with Saudi Arabia's massive funding of Hamas that comprised some 70 percent of the organization's funds in 2003.
Although Saudi Arabia has a severe problem with internal terror cells affiliated with al-Qaeda, it makes a clear distinction between its internal war against al-Qaeda and its continued support of global Jihad.
Joint interests
Granted, Israel's recent war in Lebanon created joint interests between Israel and Sunni states, including Saudi Arabia, who fears being blockaded by Iran and Shiite populations supported by it. In the wake of this development, therefore, there is room for quiet and limited cooperation.
However, if the cost of creating new political ties with Saudi Arabia means the surrender of vital strategic assets such as the Jordan Rift Valley, this is a highly dangerous policy.
Israel must not accede to a situation whereby the large quantities of arms in southern Lebanon (that are now also reaching the Gaza Strip) will find their way to the West Bank, just a few kilometers from the suburbs of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
