Watan- As the winds of change sweep across the Middle East, with nations recalibrating their stances and alliances, Saudi Arabia finds itself at the heart of a brewing storm. Recent days have seen a surge in online activism, with Saudi citizens expressing their strong reservations about the potential normalization of ties with Israel.
This digital uproar was triggered by the arrival of an Israeli delegation in Riyadh, ostensibly for a global conference. Images of the delegation, which appeared to be of a high official caliber, began circulating on social media platforms last Sunday, stoking the fires of speculation.
While the corridors of power in Riyadh remain tight-lipped, the digital realm tells a different story. The hashtag “The Saudi People Will Not Normalize” trended heavily, painting a picture of a populace at odds with a potential shift in foreign policy.
Prominent voices within Saudi Arabia have added weight to this narrative. Writer Turki Al-Shalhoub opined that the normalization efforts, believed to be spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are not merely political but tread on religious sensitivities. He highlighted permissions granted to Jewish religious figures to conduct rituals, a move seen by many as a significant departure from tradition.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Ouda, a notable figure in Saudi’s political landscape, echoed these sentiments. Sharing the trending hashtag, he underscored the chasm between the aspirations of the Saudi regime and the will of its people.
The geopolitical chessboard sees the U.S. as a keen player, with Washington reportedly pressuring Riyadh to formalize ties with Israel. Such a move, from the U.S. perspective, would be a diplomatic coup. Historically, Saudi Arabia has maintained that any normalization would be predicated on the establishment of a Palestinian state, aligning with the broader two-state solution narrative.
As the sands shift, the world watches closely, with the heartbeats of countless keyboards marking the tempo of change.