You may recall my post from last week decrying Saudi Arabia’s policy of banning Jews from entering the country. The Saudi government promptly withdrew the offending portion. But some bloggers like Gil have kept it for posterity.
Yesterday, the Guardian reported that the Saudis had disowned the original tourism organisation statement.
After complaints in the US, the Saudi embassy in Washington said it was not the policy of the kingdom to deny visas on the basis of religion.
However, once again, when you want the truth, you have to read the Arab press in Arabic – or at least a reliable translation of it. And, as expected, MEMRI have delivered the goods.
THE SAUDI GAZETTE PUBLISHED A COLUMN TITLED, ‘WEINER FISHES IN TROUBLED WATERS,’ WHICH WAS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF U.S. CONGRESSMAN ANTHONY WEINER, WHO HAS PROTESTED A SYRIAN GOVERNMENT TOURISM WEBSITE FOR BANNING JEWS FROM THE KINGDOM. THE ARTICLE QUOTED SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. PRINCE BANDAR AND SAUDI EMBASSY SPOKESMAN ADEL AL-JUBEIR DEFENDING SAUDI ARABIA’S POLICY. (SAUDI GAZETTE, 3/1/04)
I would not buy a used car from these people, let alone accept a peace plan from them.
