The American newspaper Wall Street Journal has revealed that the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) had offered bribes to the Palestinian Authority to pass his expected step of public normalisation with the Zionist entity and to ensure its silence.
The newspaper reported that bin Salman offered to resume funding to the Palestinian Authority, which had been suspended for years, as part of “a new step towards an agreement with Israel” on normalisation.
According to the newspaper, Saudi officials and former Palestinian officials familiar with the discussions said that the kingdom is offering to resume financial support for the Palestinian Authority as a recompense for Riyadh’s official recognition of the Zionist entity, indicating that the kingdom is making a serious effort to overcome obstacles that prevent the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel.
The Saudi officials stated that they are trying to secure Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ support for open relations with Israel, provide more legitimacy to any final agreement, and thwart any accusations that the kingdom will sacrifice Palestinian efforts to establish an independent state to achieve its own goals.
The recognition of the Zionist entity is particularly sensitive for the kingdom because it hosts Islam’s holiest sites, giving it a special place in the Muslim world, according to the newspaper.
