Here’s an odd little Reuters piece, running on the The New York Times website. It’s about a diplomatic kerfuffle between Israel and Saudi Arabia. On the scale of things, this is pretty much in the tea cup range, but notable anyway. Read the whole story for the details.
I wonder if there are any photos of the handshake. If there are, I’m sure some Saudi antagonists will try to score political points with it.
Israeli, Saudi Handshake Settles Seating Spat
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) – A handshake between an Israeli politician and a Saudi prince settled an unusual public diplomatic spat on Saturday about the seating arrangements at an international security conference.
To applause from the audience at the Munich Security Conference, a global gathering of defence, security and diplomatic chiefs, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki al-Faisal smiled and shook hands in a display of diplomatic good manners.
“There is a chance,” Ayalon said, apparently referring to prospects for a more peaceful region. “I am very glad.”
Ayalon had accused Turki, a former Saudi intelligence chief and envoy to Washington and London, of orchestrating a decision to keep him off a panel involving other regional powers meant to discuss the security of the Middle East.
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February:07:2010 - 14:33
A closer step to peace …. perhaps.
Though peace is difficult to g rasp in these unsettling times, with all the commotion after the Iraq war, Iran’s rogue movements and all the tea party’s in Afghanistan, the situation is yet far from peaceful … but one can only hope.
February:07:2010 - 17:56
Here is a vid of the handshake, and I personally see nothing wrong with this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8ryiyItVpc&feature=email
February:07:2010 - 20:20
Qusay–thanks for the video.
Tempest, if there is any, in a teapot, indeed. It seems like a minor gaffe was repaired well.
February:08:2010 - 04:40
Below is a press statement circulated by Prince Turki’s office:
*****
HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal
Chairman
King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
At the Munich Security Conference yesterday, the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, indirectly addressed himself to me by saying that “the person from a certain country with a lot of oil refused to sit on the same panel with him” and that “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with all its wealth, has not given a penny to the Palestinian Authority.” I replied that I objected to sitting on the same panel with him not because he is the deputy minister of foreign affairs of Israel but because of his boorish conduct with the Turkish ambassador to Israel Ahmet Oguz Celikkol. I also refuted his claim about my country’s support to the Palestinian Authority (PA) by reminding him that the Kingdom has given more than five hundred million dollars in the last five years to the PA as a stop-gap measure.
Mr. Ayalon then asked me to come up to the podium to shake hands to show that there were no hard feelings. I pointed to him that he should step down from the podium and come to me and when we stood face to face he said that he apologized for what he had said and I replied that I accept his apology not only to me but also to the Turkish ambassador.
Senator Joseph Lieberman from the United States was with him on the panel and initially had challenged my presumed objection to sitting with the Israeli deputy foreign minister, but after he heard my words, he also, graciously regretted that he had misunderstood my conduct and commended me on my immediate clarification of the situation.
But this event should not be taken out of context or misunderstood. My strong objections and condemnations of Israel’s policies and actions against the Palestinians remain unchanged. It is clear that Israel’s Arab neighbors want peace, but they cannot be expected to tolerate what amounts to theft, and certainly should not be pressured into rewarding Israel for the return of land that does not belong to it in the first place. Until Israel heeds US President Barak Obama’s call for the removal of all settlements, the Israelis must be under no illusion that Saudi Arabia will offer what they most desire — regional recognition.
*****
February:08:2010 - 09:28
I just wonder what Americans would do if Native American Indians decided they wanted their land back. No more of the “This land is your land this land is mine land”.
The show that this prince is putting on (i won’t sit next to him cause he is stinky) is quite nauseating. I suppose it makes him feel good inside. I can see him in Palestine next to Prince Naif with a half covered smock face yellah “Allah who Akbar”.
I am really sorry about that comment but honestly folks. Refocus the attention OVER HERE OVER HERE IN THE KSA OVER HERE YO!!!
February:08:2010 - 09:58
It isn’t just the handshake that was remarkable, but who was doing it: Prince Turki al-Faisal, as a long-time diplomat and former head of the KSA intelligence service, necessarily knows the difference between the truths and lies circulating in the Arab world, as well as which way the wind is blowing.
I suppose that was the reason for the immediate clapping: everyone spontaneously expressed their hope that this is a sign of better things to come.
February:08:2010 - 10:03
Talal–thanks for posting that. Kudos to Prince Turki Al Faisal on this action, and his explanation for it. Is there no end to the opportunistic stupidity of Joe Lieberman?
Sparky–yes the Guthrie song would refer to a considerably shriveled land mass. In general, yes the focus of Crossroads Arabia is as stated more on KSA, and I guess the Prince’s involvement in this incident is the relevant focus.
Solomon2–Good points.
Here is an hour long interview by Charlie Rose with Prince Turki Al Faisal when he was Saudi Ambassador to the US, which reviews his other appointments.
And the one with his brother Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal.
Charlie Rose, a lawyer, is an intelligent and rigorous interviewer.
February:08:2010 - 10:21
Chiara my hopefully telepathic message will reach PRince Faisal’s ears via Crossroads Arabia and my point was basically this, “I am F-in sick about Palestine and the Saudi Royal family’s enthrallment with it.” That is what I meant by refocus over here because they put a considerable amount of plaster on that issue when I see the plaster flaking here. When they deny women basic human rights and then cry “Justice for Palestine” that is what nauseates me. Oh alonside with Bravo Prince so Great Such and Such former Intelligence OFficer shook hands with someone he despises and refuses to sit next to and he is proud that he made him walk off the podium. It proves that the Israeli Jew has more class than this wormy Prince. I see worms when I see him.
February:08:2010 - 11:38
Sparky–thanks for clarifying!
February:08:2010 - 12:13
Chiara you are welcome, anytime. I can and will clarify upon request. Sometimes it might end looking fuzzier.
February:08:2010 - 12:32
“Is there no end to the opportunistic stupidity of Joe Lieberman?”
Where did that come from? Lieberman is not stupid, though I think he is rather modest. Certainly he is the least opportunistic guy in the Senate; otherwise he would have toed to the Democratic Party line long ago, rather than become the Senate’s only independent.
February:08:2010 - 13:02
I agree. I’ve actually been impressed by Lieberman, particularly during his 2003 visit to the KSA.
BTW, isn’t Bernie Sanders (VT) also an Independent?
February:08:2010 - 13:31
I thought Sanders was still in the House! My bad. Yet Sanders was always an independent; he didn’t change his affiliation after being elected because his views remained the same while his party traveled in a new direction, as Lieberman has. Nor did Lieberman jump across the aisle to join a new majority, as others have to retain their power in committee, etc.
February:09:2010 - 03:46
It came from his focusing on Bill Clinton’s peccadilloes when there was much else of greater importance in the world to address, running as an independant when he lost the Democratic nomination, allowing essentially one issue (Israel) to override all others, and fighting against universal healthcare, in the interest of his health insurance company constituents, ie his relection, but at great compromise of his original Democrat values.
February:13:2010 - 02:31
“I just wonder what Americans would do if Native American Indians decided they wanted their land back. No more of the “This land is your land this land is mine land”.”
No kidding. Do the Cherokee have a right to take back the Carolinas — or are “Indian casinos” a fair trade?
February:13:2010 - 06:42
Anonymous #15–Canada flirted with this idea, somewhat unintentionally in 1995 when Quebec held a referendum on whether to separate from Canada or not. Plan A was to woo them into staying; Plan B was to divide up the territory and ensure land, water, and air passage between the provinces to the West and those to the East of Quebec. Meanwhile, the indigenous Canadians voted among themselves prior to the referendum to stay as part of Canada. This would leave Quebec without immense areas of resource rich land, and key areas around major cities like Montreal that form the reservations. Many non-Indigenous people, outside of Quebec, were in favour of ceding back to Quebec only the lands that originally comprised “la Nouvelle France” of the era pre-Conquest. This is mainly a very narrow strip along the St Lawrence River.
The vote to the highly confusing question:
“Acceptez-vous que le Québec devienne souverain, après avoir offert formellement au Canada un nouveau partenariat économique et politique, dans le cadre du projet de loi sur l’avenir du Québec et de l’entente signée le 12 juin 1995?”
“Do you agree that Québec should become sovereign after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership within the scope of the bill respecting the future of Québec and of the agreement signed on June 12, 1995?”
was No 50.58% and Yes 49.42% with a participation rate of 93.52% of Quebeckers.
Studies later showed that most Yes voters thought they would still be part of Canada, have a Canadian passport, be protected by Canadian Forces, and use Canadian currency–rather more like what has been termed “sovereignty association”; or, given the special rights Quebec now has (eg control of immigration to the province; separate licensing exams for doctors; special language laws, and high investment from the Federal government),what some would call the status quo.
The Inuit now have their own self-governed territory in northern Canada, Nunavut (the size of Western Europe); and the Inuit of Quebec are working toward an autonomous territory comprising the northern 1/3 of Quebec, Nunavik.
Once global climate changes make circumpolar navigation a year round routine event, we would all be well-advised to learn Inuktitut. Personally I will be concentrating on the Nunavimmiutitut dialect.