A senior Saudi journalist, Abdul Aziz Khamis has some unusual views (for a Saudi) regarding the Jewish people and their claim to the Land of Israel: “Jews are not just ‘Ashkenazim from Europe, they are part of our history,’ says Saudi journalist,” by Adi Cohen, Jerusalem Post, January 21, 2026:
The Saudi journalist explained that “The problem is that we haven’t known each other enough. There is a current refusal to accept the other and believe that Israel will collapse, but that is a strategic and historical mistake. We must understand: the Jews have been in this region for thousands of years. They are an integral part of the Middle Eastern fabric. They had a state in the past, just as others did, and this is a reality today recognized by the UN.”
So at least Khamis recognizes that the Jews have been “in this region for thousands of years.” What he might have added is this: “Jews were living in what they call the Land of Israel, and we call Palestine, for 3500 years, two thousand years before any Muslims appeared in the region out of Arabia.” He did acknowledge, however, at very least that Jews were in the area before Islam existed:
Diving into the origins of Jewish existence in the Middle East, Khamis offered a historical review, “Jewish existence in the region predates Islam. Let’s look at Iraq – Jews lived there for over 2,500 years. Isaac Sasson (Sasson Haskel), who was Iraq’s first finance minister, was Jewish and considered one of the best in his role. He fought against the British for Iraq’s oil rights. They [the Jews] had a presence in Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria.”
He added, “We cannot say they are just ‘Ashkenazim who came from Europe.’ They are part of our history. If we examine the region’s history, we see it is filled with boundary changes shaped by the British and the French, but the Jewish presence is a solid historical fact. Instead of blood and hate, we need to have a dialogue and achieve rights through understanding.”…
Which “rights” does he want the Palestinians to achieve? Not the annihilation of Israel, but the right to their own state on territory Israel would be expected to withdraw from, to return behind its 1949 armistice lines, meaning Israel would be squeezed back within borders that would leave the Jewish state hopelessly vulnerable, with a nine-mile-wide waist between Qalqilya and the sea.
“The Muslim Brotherhood is the source of destruction – anyone who associates with them fails.”
The Muslim Brotherhood is a threat to the Arab monarchies in the Gulf, as well as to Egypt and Jordan. And in Gaza, Hamas is the local branch of the Brotherhood, which is why the Arab states are so dead-set on ending Hamas’ rule in the Strip — it threatens their wellbeing.
Before October 7, 2023, the Israelis had facilitated the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars from Qatar to Hamas. The assumption was that by keeping Hamas in power in Gaza, the PA would be unable to create a unified Palestinian government that would include Gaza as well as Judea and Samaria. The strategy was folly; it simply allowed Qatar to pay for more weapons for Hamas and to increase Hamas’ membership through generous salaries offered recruits.
Abdul Aziz Khamis is ready to recognize the Israeli claim to a large part, but not all, of the Land of Israel. He knows that Jews have lived in their land “for thousands of years,” two thousand years before a single Muslim appeared. He wishes for peace between Israelis and Arabs. But he still clings to comforting falsehoods: that the Palestinians would ever accept a Jewish state, no matter what its size; that the Qur’an teaches tolerance of Jews; that by withdrawing back to the 1949 armistice lines, Israel will have created the conditions for peace rather than for war. Abdul Aziz Khamis’ wish for peace shows his heart is in the right place. But he also misleads us — by design, or is he himself misinformed? — when he claims that Muhammad had good relations with the Jews, given his taking part in the mass murder of 600-800 members of the Banu Qurayza in Medina, his attack on the inoffensive Jewish farmers of the Khaybar Oasis, his taking as a sex slave, and then marrying, Saafiya, a Jewish girl whose husband and father were killed in that attack; his wishing aloud for someone to murder two Jewish poets, Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf and 120-year-old Abu ‘Afak, a wish which his loyal followers then carried out.
Abdul Aziz Khamis has come a long way in recognizing Israel’s claim to its ancestral homeland. But he still can’t allow himself to recognize the depth of the hatred most Muslims feel for the Jewish state. He hides the truth about Qur’anic verses preaching hatred and murder of Infidels, including Jews. Nor can he recognize that the Palestinians will never reconcile themselves to a Jewish state no matter how reduced in size it may become. Finally, he cannot bring himself to see that in order to avoid a major war between Israel and its Arab neighbors, only the strategy of deterrence will work. Israel has to remain militarily stronger than all of its immediate neighbors so as to prevent a major war from breaking out. And that means it will have to retain control of all the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Yeah, would he recognize that Medina/Yathrib was a Jewish city before Muhammad appeared on the scene? And if so, would that province be given “back” to Israel, or at least under Riyadh’s jurisdiction, be restored to Judaism once again?
All this assumes the school of thought that Muhammad actually existed. I do have one question to Israeli posters here. When ancient and classical (i.e. pre-medieval) Jewish history is taught in Israel, is the history of the Jews of Arabia – Medina, Sheba,… taught as well? Do Jewish historians accept the sira descriptions about Muhammad’s wars against, and genocide of the Jews? Or is that something ignored by them as being ahistorical, as in there being no archeological evidence of their presence in Medina?
Cynthia says
This is a tiny step towards acceptance, but not to be trusted in the long run.
The next big threat in the Middle East is coming from the Sunnis. America arming the Gulf states makes an alliance with Israel unnecessary.
ploome says
Why Arabs Lose Wars:
https://americandiplomacy.web.unc.edu/2000/12/why-arabs-lose-wars-fighting-as-you-train-and-the-impact-of-culture-on-arab-military-effectiveness/
allying with arabs ? Arab allies are as reliable as the Afghan army after 20 years of training and arming and believing the Afghan army was an “ally”.
and, in the end, islam trumps any and every interaction with the infidel
jihad never ends..it is the core of islam
Tony says
Deceitful Allah and his Muslims, spiritual children of the Serpent, teach and promote discrimination, violence, and terrorism against Israel and all Non-Muslims as taught in Islam’s Qur’an(Qur’an 9:5, 29, 111; 49:15, etc.). Allah’s supreme hatred and enmity are inculcated in Muslims from birth against Israel and Non-Muslims(Qur’an 5:14; 60:4, etc.).
SUPREMACIST ISLAM IS ANTICHRIST, AHISTORICAL, DECEITFUL, MILITARISTIC, AND POLITICAL against the USA Constitution and Western Laws to conquer and to subjugate Non-Muslims using MUSLIM-TERRORIST-CRIMINAL-GANG ENTERPRISES with ISLAMIC LAW(SHARIA) and with CONTINUOUS, TERROR PROPAGANDA from Islam’s Qur’an as evidenced by the continuous Muslim attacks to make Islam supreme(Qur’an 2:191; 3:28, 54; 4:89-91; 7:99; 8:30, 60; 9:5, 29,111; 16:106, etc.). Islam, an enemy of Non-Muslims, teaches and promotes murder, lies, deceit, accusations, and slander against Non-Muslims as taught in Islam’s Qur’an.
Deceitful Allah affirms Non-Muslims as enemies of Allah while Muslims continuously undermine a society from within using their man-made Qur’an with lies, obfuscation, and deceit(Qur’an 2:225; 3:54; 7:99; 8:30; 60:4, etc.). Allah in Qur’an 4:101 says, “…Surely the infidels[Non-Muslims] were your clear enemies.” Allah expects all Muslim believers to war against all non-Muslims until the Unbelievers convert to Islam or face Muslim violence. Corrupt Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” As a result, Non-Muslims are marked for death by Islam and its Muslims.
Worthless Islam is a civilization-destroying, delusional, indoctrinating, cancerous fraud because there is NO MECCA, NO MUHAMMAD, and NO Qur’an in the 7th century AD in Saudi Arabia despite the Muslim Standard Islamic Narrative claims; the Deceitful House of Islam is founded on propaganda, lies, intimidation, and deceit where Islam’s 1400-year traditions are based on fallacy and myth including a more than 300-year gap with no documented history. Hence, NEVER give money to Islamic Countries, Islamic Organizations, Mosques, Islamic Schools, etc. because your are funding your ultimate destruction. Islam must be banned as illegal, and we have the legal right to defend ourselves from Muslim violence.
Islam’s Muslims are to be Seditionist Terrorists for Allah with their MONEY and their LIVES. Allah in Qur’an 49:15 teaches, “Surely the believers[Muslims] are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed jihad with their MONEY and their LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.” Again, Islam is a FACTITIOUS IDEOLOGY and CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION despicably fabricated over time into the 21sth century, and there is NO PEACE only genocidal obliteration with Islam and its deceitful Muslims(Qur’an 7:18; 8:39: 9:5, 29, 111; 11:119; 32:13; 47:4, etc.).
Demonic ALLAH claims MUSLIMS are a greater TERROR than serpentine Allah in Islam’s Qur’an. Allah in Qur’an 59:13 says, “You[Muslims] are a greater terror in their chests than Allah. This is because they[Jews & Christians] are people who do not understand.” Allah in Qur’an 9:29 commands, “Engage in war with those who do not believe in Allah nor in the last day. Nor forbid what Allah and his messenger forbid, nor believe in the religion of the truth among those who have given the book until they pay the jizyah out of hand and they are subdued.”
Islam, its Mosques, its Schools, its Sharia Courts, its Organizations, etc. are Terrorist-Criminal Enterprises of hatred and enmity against all Non-Muslims as totalitarian Islam, the House of Satan, islamizes the society with impunity(Qur’an 2:225; 5:14, 64; 60:4; 9:5, 29, 111, etc.). As taught from Islam’s Qur’an, Islam should be banned for its incitement, funding, and promotion of hybrid warfare, violence, terrorism, criminality, hatred, human trafficking, and discrimination against women, children, and Non-Muslims.
Allah describes Muslim women in Jenna, Allah’s Paradise, as whores of Allah in Qur’an 56:37. Also, Allah stirs hatred against Christians until the resurrection day as Qur’an 5:14 instructs, “And some of those who say, ‘Surely we are Nasara (Christians),’ we took their covenant. So they have forgotten a part of what they were reminded of, so we have stirred up ENMITY and HATRED among them until the resurrection day. And Allah will inform them of what they were doing.” See also Qur’an 2:225; 60:4; 8:55.