Watan-Social media users reacted differently to the captured moment showing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman kissing the hand of his brother, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. Some saw it as a display of humility and respect between siblings, while others pointed to what they described as a dark history of Salman’s mistreatment of his relatives, particularly after scenes of kissing feet or hands.
During Ramadan well-wishers’ reception, widely circulated clips showed Mohammed bin Salman kissing his brother’s hand, which some interpreted as a gesture of humility and respect towards his older brother. However, others questioned the intention behind this action and its timing, with some accounts on the “X” platform suggesting it as a sign of estrangement.
The moment Mohammed bin Salman kissed his brother’s hand
The moment of Mohammed bin Salman kissing his brother’s hand was captured in a video published by the Saudi official news agency (SPA), showing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shaking hands with Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. Subsequently, bin Salman kissed the hand of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman while greeting him, as a sign of appreciation for his older brother.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has been the Minister of Energy in the Kingdom since September 2019 by royal decree.
تداول واسع للقطة تقبيل #ولي_العهد الأمير محمد بن سلمان ليد أخيه
الأمير عبدالعزيز بن سلمان خلال استقباله للمهنئين بشهر #رمضان #ولي_العهد_في_المدينة_المنورة
pic.twitter.com/9SsibMzZDh— أخبار و أكثر (@newsandm0re) March 13, 2024
This is not the first time such an incident occurred
A similar event was described by Telescope News, which referred to the act of the Crown Prince kissing the hand of his father, King Salman, as a sign of estrangement.
The account cited Mohammed bin Salman’s actions towards Mohammed bin Nayef after kissing his knee, as described by the Khut Albalad account: “Turning him upside down from his ankles.”
In 2022, Mohammed bin Salman was seen attempting to kiss the hand of Prince Faisal bin Salman during his reception at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport, but the prince’s reaction was a refusal.
يُقال أن تقبيل #محمد_بن_سلمان ليد والده تدل على أنها أخر عهد الملك #سلمان في الحكم .. وثبت أن تقبيل الأيادي عند محمد بن سلمان إشارة على الخلع pic.twitter.com/BDMmsTB37P
— تلسكوب نيوز (@TNNArabic) April 16, 2018
Persecution after kissing!
In 2020, prominent international lawyer Mahmoud Rifaat spoke about a circulating rumor in Saudi Arabia about Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s alleged killing of the former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and perhaps his uncle Ahmed bin Abdulaziz.
Rifaat expressed his hope on Twitter that the rumor was not true; “Because if it were true, Saudi Arabia would be on the brink of a precipice, and Mohammed bin Salman would have thrown the country into a volcano that would burn it with all its components.”
ابن سلمان من تقبيل ركبة محمد بن نايف إلى تعليقه رأساً على عقب من كاحليه👇 pic.twitter.com/p1bbqsATpl
— خط البلدة 🚐 (@saudibus222) January 10, 2022
Rifaat’s tweet coincided with another tweet from the well-known Saudi account “Mujtahid” on Twitter, in which he indicated that Mohammed bin Salman “has so far succeeded in suppressing a major and dangerous event for fear of its repercussions on him.”
🏮شاهد.. ردة فعل أمير #المدينة الأمير فيصل بن سلمان، بعد محاولة #ولي_العهد الأمير محمد بن سلمان، تقبيل يده في مطار الأمير محمد بن عبدالعزيز الدولي، صباح اليوم #الخميس .#السعودية #مصر #لبنان #بيروت #الامارات #ابوظبي #دبي #البحرين #الأردن #الرياض #يحدث_الآن #عُمان #رمضان pic.twitter.com/knrPsynjpk
— م. صالح الخراشي (@saleh1u1) April 7, 2022
While “Mujtahid” did not disclose information about the major and dangerous event as he described it, he said that circles close to him had started circulating the news, and it seems that he will have to face the truth soon, despite his denial.