Saudi Prince Bashes Israel during Bahrain Summit

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki bin Faisal bashed Israel on Sunday at a Bahrain security summit after a series of high-profile pacts between the Jewish state and Gulf nations.

In his comments, the prince made light of what he said was Israel’s self-promoted image as “peace-loving upholders of high moral principles” while “incarcerat[ing] [Palestinians] in concentration camps under the flimsiest of security accusations — young and old, women and men, who are rotting there without recourse to justice,” according to The Associated Press.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi spoke remotely after the prince, saying “I would like to express my regret on the comments of the Saudi representative.”

Israel's Normalization Treaties

Several nations, including Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates have recently established formal diplomatic negotiations with Israel in U.S.-brokered deals. For decades, most Arab states had boycotted the country in solidarity with Palestine, but in recent years some decided to normalise relations with Tel Aviv in order to form a united front against Iran.