Biden, Saudi King Phone Call Reaffirms Strong Ties as Khashoggi Report Looms
U.S. intel report says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved murder of Khashoggi in Istanbul, which Saudi Arabia adamantly denies
Mohammed bin Salman
Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was born August 31, 1985. He is the youngest defense minister in the world and is the first in line to the throne. He was appointed Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in June, 2017, following his father's decision to remove Muhammad bin Nayef from all positions. He is also serving as first deputy prime minister, president of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs.
In 2016, Prince Mohammed introduced "Vision 2030," which is aimed at making the kingdom the heart of the Arab and Islamic world, an investment powerhouse and a hub connecting three continents. It seeks to diversify and privatize the economy, making it less reliant on oil.
One of bin Salman's most notable reforms was the removal of the ban on female drivers.
Declassified U.S. Report on Khashoggi Death Shows MBS Approved Killing, Sources Say
U.S. officials said the report, for which the CIA was the main contributor, assessed that the crown prince approved and likely ordered the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi
Analysis There’s a Shake-up in Store for Saudi Arabia, and Biden Isn't Concealing His Target
The U.S. president isn't recalibrating the relationship with the whole country, but with one specific person
Biden Plans to 'Recalibrate' U.S.-Saudi Relations Away From MbS
The Biden White House has been pressuring Saudi Arabia to improve its record on human rights, including the release of political prisoners such as women’s rights advocates from jails
Analysis There's No Way Out of the Saudi Royal Prison
Critics of the regime in the country and abroad have fallen victim to Saudi Arabia's social media surveillance system. A handful of activists have garnered international attention, but many have not won this 'glory'
Will 200 Rich Arab Men Save the World From the Climate Crisis?
Poised on the cusp between economic and climate disaster, and an amazing commercial opportunity, Gulf-based petroleum giants realize today that the golden age of oil is about to end, Dan Rabinowitz asserts in his new book. Is the era of green on the horizon?
Prominent Saudi Women’s Rights Activist Loujain al-Hathloul Released From Prison
Al-Hathloul, who pushed to end a ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia, was arrested in 2018 and sentenced to almost six years in prison last December
Saudis Vowed to Stop Executing Minors; Some Death Sentences Remain, Rights Groups Say
In December, Saudi state news agency SPA published a list of prominent 'events' of 2020 featuring several royal decrees, but the death penalty order was not included
Eyeing Closer U.S. Ties, Saudi Arabia Is Leading the Pack on Gulf Detente
Riyadh is attempting to score points with a lukewarm Biden administration, but reconciliation with Qatar will take more than a tight hug
Opinion Despite Detente, Ties Between Qatar and the Gulf Are Still a Ticking Bomb
'The wound is very deep': Gulf leaders put on a good show of newfound brotherly love at the GCC summit, but their formal end of conflict can’t paper over deeper social and political fractures
Analysis Qatar Showed Force Can Actually Bring Peace in the Middle East
Since the embargo in 2017, Qatar has defied expectations to build new alliances and a more resilient economy. In the regional standoff, it is the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council that blinked first
Gulf States Sign Detente Deal With Qatar as Saudi Arabia Hails United Front Against Iran
Saudi crown prince slams Iran's 'subversive and destructive' plans in the region ■ Saudi, Qatari leaders hugged ahead of summit following agreement to end the three year boycott of Qatar
U.S. State Department Approves Potential Sale of 3,000 Smart Bombs to Saudi Arabia
Biden has pledged to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia in a bid to pressure Riyadh to end a war in Yemen
Analysis Emirati Cash Lands in Syria, but It Can't Save Its Crumbling Economy
Money from Iran and the UAE winds up in the coffers of security forces and militias, while civilians are short on fuel for food and heating, and rarely have electricity
Opinion How I Escaped Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom That Terrorizes Women
Constant abuse forced me out of Saudi Arabia. For other women, it means being thrown into jail. Mohammed bin Salman’s ‘women’s rights’ campaign, and talk of a ‘new’ Saudi Arabia, remains just slick PR
Analysis To Normalize Ties With Israel, Saudi Crown Prince Must Placate His Father – and Biden
While the king sees his realm as the guardian of the whole Arab world, his son backs a Saudi-first approach. This debate will be key in relations with Israel, Iran and the new U.S. administration
Opinion How Israel Is Triggering a Royal Civil War in Saudi Arabia
While one Saudi prince is slamming the Israelis, another is pummelling the Palestinians: The royals of Riyadh are now fighting a very public war over relations with Israel
Kushner Heading to Saudi Arabia, Qatar Amid Regional Tension Over Fakhrizadeh Assassination
Kushner met last week with the foreign minster of Kuwait, a country critical to resolving the conflict between Qatar and Gulf Cooperation Council states
MBS Backtracked on Normalization With Israel After Biden Win, Report Says
In a bid to strengthen ties with the United States, the Saudi crown prince seeks to reach a peace deal with Israel after Biden takes office, the Wall Street Journal reports
Opinion Why Neom Was a Perfect Place for Bibi’s Secret Meeting in Saudi Arabia
An imaginary city consisting of little but an airport so far hosted Netanyahu-MBS summit that officials still deny even took place
Amid Oil Market Upheaval, Saudi Arabia May Be Eyeing Israeli Companies, Know-how
The Middle East's oil colossus needs to diversify its economy, and it's possible that the need for regional cooperation will make it remove the ban on investing in Israeli firms
After Saudi Adviser Confirms MBS-Netanyahu Meeting, Saudi Foreign Minister Denies
Saudi FM tweets 'no such meeting occurred' after a senior Saudi adviser tells the Wall Street Journal that normalization and Iran were on the agenda at the trilateral secret meeting
Netanyahu Secretly Flew to Saudi Arabia, Met MBS and Pompeo, Israeli Sources Say
Saudi adviser confirms to the Wall Street Journal that normalization and Iran were discussed at the secret meeting in Saudi Arabia on Sunday ■ Gantz and FM Ashkenazi were left in the dark, sources say
Opinion How Saudi Arabia Is Pressuring Pakistan to Recognize Israel
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants Muslim Pakistan to 'normalize normalization,' the army wants open relations with Israel, the grassroots are shouting betrayal and Imran Khan could be the collateral damage
Haim Saban: MBS Said Iran, His People Would Kill Him if Saudi Arabia Normalized Ties With Israel
Israeli-American billionaire Saban relates Saudi crown prince's comments at a Biden/Harris campaign event, praises Jared Kushner for work on Israeli accords with Bahrain, UAE
Opinion Inside Saudi Arabia’s Campaign to Cancel the Palestinians
From trolls to TV, Riyadh is rewriting history to undermine the entire Palestinian struggle, softening up the Arab world for its pending normalization with Israel
Analysis The Saudis’ Heads Are in the Clouds of Peace, Their Feet in the Yemeni Mud
The crown prince is interested in a normalization with Israel and his father likes the Arab Peace Initiative, but the war in Yemen and threats to Prince Mohammed at home are keeping them busy
Amid 'Increasing' Crackdown, Saudi Dissidents Form Opposition Party
The National Assembly Party, made up mostly of exiled activists, calls for elected parliament and balance of powers but stop short of calling for protests in the kingdom
Saudi King to Trump: Palestinian State Is Condition for Normalizing Ties With Israel
In a phone call, Trump welcomes kingdom's decision to open Saudi airspace to Israel-UAE flights
Analysis From Gaza to Lebanon, Coronavirus Presents Israel With New Opportunities
Israel is able to manage risks and promote new alliances. But the entire region is entering a waiting game, with all eyes on the U.S. election