$10m SAUDI PRINCE - Blames 'Jewish Pressure'

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Saudi Prince Blames 'Jewish Pressure' The Associated Press Oct 13, 2001 : 1:08 pm ET

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- A Saudi prince has blamed "Jewish pressure" for the rejection of his $10 million donation to a New York relief fund.

New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who accepted the donation from billionaire Saudi investor Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal on Thursday, ordered the money returned when he learned about a statement Alwaleed had made on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The whole issue is that I spoke about their position (on the Middle East conflict) and they didn't like it because there are Jewish pressures and they were afraid of them," Alwaleed said in remarks published in the daily Okaz.

He said Giuliani "can say what he wants. My comments were welcomed in Palestinian circles, and (Palestinian Authority) President Yasser Arafat sent me a thank you letter."

During his visit to the wreckage of the World Trade Center on Thursday, Alwaleed called the Sept. 11 terrorist attack "a tremendous crime" and said Osama bin Laden, a Saudi dissident who is the prime suspect, "does not belong to Islam."

But in a written statement handed out by his publicist during the visit, the prince added: "At times like this one, we must address some of the issues that led to such a criminal attack. I believe the government of the United States of America should re-examine its policies in the Middle East and adopt a more balanced stance toward the Palestinian cause."

Alwaleed told The Associated Press on Friday that Israeli attacks on Palestinians were "an important factor destabilizing the region," a view widely held by Arabs throughout the region.

Despite Giuliani's rejection of his donation, Alwaleed said he respected the mayor for the "spectacular job" he has done in the month since the attack.

"My policies and actions are an indisputable part of those of my country and I cannot contradict them," Okaz quoted him as saying.

Many Arabs are angry with the United States, accusing it of unfairly siding with Israel in the conflict with the Palestinians.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Answers

Jewish pressure? How 'bout righteous indignation?

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

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