New Campaign Against The Saudis

JERUSALEM – Israel is threatening to launch a global campaign against Saudi Arabia, the only Arab nation contiguous to Israel which still remains in full state of war with the Jewish state since 1948.The campaign will include the use of various means of leverage and lobbies in the United States, Europe and other places around the world, raising the issue of human rights, the status of women and financing terrorism in the U.S. Congress, the European Parliament and other venues, a public relations campaign and even lodging complaints with international courts.

This campaign is being launched in the wake of a conclusion that was drawn by Israeli government officials that Saudi Arabia was the principal force behind the global campaign to delegitimize Israel, especially on college campuses around the world, where Saudi-funded Middle East Studies programs are showing their cumulative effect.

Senior Israeli political officials said this week in closed conversations that the Saudis have financed a large part of the lawsuits that were filed to international courts, the public debates, the conferences, the slander and hounding of Israel in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.

“They’re playing a double game,” said one official. “The Saudis act as if they are part of the moderate camp and are trying to exploit the West for their own needs, when at the same time they have been financing an orchestrated campaign against Israel’s legitimacy, against Israel’s economy and more. That needs to be ended.”

The plan calls for Israel to convey a strenuous message in the next number of days to the United States that will include information about Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the above-cited activities.

Israel will demand that the Americans intervene and use their influence and the leverage that they have over the Saudis to pressure Saudi Arabia.

In tandem, all Israeli representatives overseas will be briefed, as will all the Jewish organizations, the Jewish lobby and Israeli allies in the U.S. Congress and elsewhere so as to begin to “pester” Saudi Arabia, to place on the public agenda its involvement in financing terrorism, the state of human rights in the kingdom, the status of women and numerous other issues.

The possibility of filing lawsuits to either international or foreign courts will also be looked into, among other options.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com.