Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has for the first time termed Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” against Palestinians.

The remarks were made by the Saudi Crown Prince at a summit of Arab and Muslim leaders organised on Monday (November 11) to press for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The public criticism of Israel is seen as the harshest of the country by a Saudi official since the start of war on October 7, 2023.

Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects genocide committed by Israel against Palestinians’

“The Kingdom renews its condemnation and categorical rejection of the genocide committed by Israel against the brotherly Palestinian people, which has claimed the lives of 150,000 martyrs, wounded and missing, most of whom are women and children,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

“We affirm that Israel’s continued crimes against innocent people, its persistence in violating the sanctity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and its detraction from the pivotal role of the Palestinian National Authority in all Palestinian territories will undermine the efforts aimed at obtaining the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights and establishing peace in the region,” he further said.

The Crown Prince also called for immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and said the international community must “immediately halt the Israeli actions against our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon.”

Israel denies the charges of genocide and says it implements measures to minimise harm to noncombatants.

Saudi Crown Prince warns Israel against attacks on Iran

Accompanied by other leaders in the summit, who also called for a total Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman criticised Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Iran.

He called on Israel to respect Iran’s sovereignty and warned against launching attacks on Iranian soil.

The comments by the Saudi Crown Prince indicated towards the improving ties between Riyad and Tehran.

The Crown Prince also called on the international community to prevent Israel from targeting Iran and to uphold Iran’s sovereignty.

He once again said that Saudi Arabia would not recognise Israel unless a Palestinian state is established.

Saudi Arabia accuses Israel of causing starvation in Gaza

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud, meanwhile, accused Israel of causing starvation in Gaza and said that it was a “failing of the international community” that the war in the region had not been stopped.

Leaders at the summit also condemned what they described as Israel’s “continuous attacks” against UN staff and facilities in Gaza.

The conflict in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which saw hundreds of armed men of the Palestinian terrorist group enter southern Israel. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage.

Israel retaliated by launching a military campaign to destroy Hamas, during which more than 43,400 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

With inputs from agencies.