Biden threatens Saudi Arabia after meeting Prince Mohammed bin Salman

JEDDAH – President of the United States of America (USA) Joe Biden said he had confronted the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman for attacks on dissidents, including journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

After the meeting, Biden threatened Saudi Arabia if it repeated the killing of Khashoggi.

The two leaders met at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s palace in Jeddah on Friday. Biden is visiting Saudi Arabia, a country he once promised to make a “pariah” state for its human rights abuses, following a visit to Israel.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) sparked global outrage over the killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The CIA concluded Prince MBS approved the killing.

Also read: Biden and Prince Mohammed bin Salman Fist Silently

However, Saudi officials deny Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s involvement and say Khashoggi’s death was caused by the operation of “rogue” agents.

“What happened to Khashoggi is outrageous,” Biden said after a meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Biden then made his threat. “I just explained if something happened like that again, they would get that response and more,” he said.

But Biden did not specify exactly what he meant by “that response”, and earlier he greeted Prince Mohammed bin Salman with a high-five.

Biden and Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s meeting prompted Khashoggi’s fiancé to write to Biden on Twitter – in what he framed as an imagined response from Khashoggi himself – that “the blood of the next MBS victim is on your hands”.

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