Jewish Leaders Met With Saudi Crown Prince Tuesday

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman holds a meeting with members of the British government. Image by Dan Kitwood – WPA Pool/Getty Images

By Josh Nathan-Kazis March 30, 2018

Leaders of a handful of Jewish establishment groups met with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince in New York this week, the Jerusalem Post reports. AIPAC, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Federations of North America, B’nai B’rith, and the Presidents Conference were represented, according to the Post.

Notably absent from the meeting were progressive Jewish groups like J Street, Ameinu, or Americans for Peace Now.

The Jerusalem Post cited “Jewish leaders” asserting that the meeting was a sign that the new crown prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, is interested in warmer ties to Israel. In fact, security cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Israel has quickly ramped up in recent months.

Bin Salman, also the country’s defense minister, is pursuing a military intervention in Yemen, where the country has been accused of international humanitarian law violations amid civilian deaths.

Contact Josh Nathan-Kazis at [email protected] or on Twitter, @joshnathankazis.

Josh Nathan-Kazis is a staff writer for the Forward. He covers charities and politics, and writes investigations and longform.

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