Comment: This indicates that Erdogan has some very juicy information about the case, perhaps even some of it is coming from KSA from those that are against MbS.
Prince Hicham: Prince Hicham bin Abdullah, cousin of the Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and maternal cousin of the Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, is one of the voices who, in his writings and lectures, has warned about the adventurism of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Prince Hicham is the only member of an Arab royal family to have written following the death of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on 2 October 2018, describing this operation as savage and calling upon the Saudi authorities to address it transparently.
Regarding other aspects associated with this issue, including its international ramifications and also royal implications in Saudi Arabia, Prince Hicham – who in the past enjoyed a close relationship with this family – said: “There is great tension within the Saudi royal establishment because Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman has violated all written laws and established traditions and customs, not least of which includes the siege of Qatar and the Ritz Carlton affair. Here is something new: a heinous murder where a peaceful and unarmed citizen’s body was cut to pieces, which is contrary to not just Islamic law but also the traditions of Saudi society. This has instigated a sense of horror among many Saudi.
After reviewing all of this, Prince Hicham concludes: “If Saudi Arabia escapes this crisis without damage, it could encourage other, even more serious adventures. Compounding the problem is a structural deficit within the decision-making process in Saudi Arabia and in the implementation of decisions.”
Regarding the role of King Salman in all these developments, Prince Hicham adds, “I am sure that King Salman was not aware of all the details of this issue, and that he only became aware after the recent visit of Prince Khalid al-Faisal in Turkey (which involved a personal meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan), and the subsequent visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Riyadh.
Commenting about the Saudi royal family’s internal dynamics, Prince Hicham commented: “Social relations and trust between the princes have virtually disappeared, as former spaces of communication have vanished. The Crown Prince destroyed this old model but without presenting a realistic and viable alternative model. In this climate, the last decision belongs to King Salman himself. I think that he will try to restore confidence and reduce the tensions borne of this case by encouraging some checks-and-balance mechanisms, but it seems to me that it is already too late. Let us not forget that the current situation is itself the result of such superficial and fragile arrangements that have been adopted in the past.”
Prince Hicham assures: “US and Saudi efforts to absolve the Crown Prince of this mess will only deepen the structural crisis of the decision-making process, as they will try to save Mohammad bin Salman’s power and authority. Any drastic new attempt to impose an arrangement by King Salman will be condemned to failure since the Crown Prince is going to feel that this threatens his interests and power. Even if Saudi Arabia manage to contain the crisis, this crime will weigh heavily on the image of the Crown Prince and the country, which increases the likelihood of a shift to a violent solution. Likewise, the decision to sacrifice senior officials and security officers in the crisis will lead to the consequence that these bodies will no longer trust the Crown Prince, which will result in another dangerous situation.”