Friend and Ally Update: the Saudi King rattles his saber and buys arms, threatens another American ally, and invokes a peace plan that was hollow and deceptive from the start.
“King Fears Full-Scale War,” from SkyNews, with thanks to Anon:
Saudi Arabia’s king has warned the current crisis between Lebanon, the Palestinians and Israel could spark a full-scale Middle East war.
King Abdullah has also pledged $500m to rebuild Lebanon and $250m to help the Palestinians.
“If the peace option fails because of Israeli arrogance, there will be no other option but war,” Saudi state television quoted the king as saying in an official statement.
“No one can predict what will happen if things get out of control.
“The Arabs have declared peace as a strategic choice … and put forward a clear and fair proposal of land for peace and have ignored (Arab) extremist calls opposing the peace proposal… but patience cannot last forever.”
The king was referring to an Arab peace initiative, proposed by Saudi Arabia and adopted in a 2002 Arab summit.
The deal offers Israel a comprehensive peace in return for Arab land it seized in a 1967 Middle East war.