U.S. President Joe Biden announced today (Saturday) that he will make an official statement on Saudi Arabia on Monday, following a U.S. intelligence report that found that Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman was the one who ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Ahmad Khushkji In 2018.
Asked about the regent’s punishment, Biden said: “On Monday there will be an announcement about what we are going to do with Saudi Arabia in general.” Biden did not provide further details. As you may recall, although he promised to punish the Saudi officials involved in the journalist’s assassination, Biden today refused to impose sanctions on Ben Salman.
However, according to US sources, the sanctions will be imposed on senior Saudi officials, in an attempt to maintain relations between the two countries. Also last night, the US president spoke with the Saudi king and said that Saudi Arabia would be held responsible for human rights violations, and later, the United States would announce significant changes in relations between the countries.
“I have spoken to the King and made it clear to him that the rules will change, and we are going to point to significant steps on Sunday-Monday. We will hold them accountable for human rights violations,” Biden said.
Jamal Khushkji (Photo: Reuters)As mentioned, the intelligence report published last night states that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved and apparently ordered the operation to abduct and assassinate Saudi journalist Jamal Ahmad Khushkji in Istanbul in 2018. Khushkji, a US resident who wrote a column To the Washington Post and criticized the Crown Prince’s policy, killed and dismembered by a team of activists linked to the Crown Prince at the Kingdom Consulate in Istanbul. Riyadh has denied any involvement.
“We estimate that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman has approved the operation in Istanbul to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khushkji,” it was reported. They added: “We base this assessment on the Crown Prince’s control of the kingdom’s decisions, the direct involvement of a key adviser and members of Muhammad bin Salman’s defensive individual, and the Crown Prince’s support for the use of violent measures to silence opponents abroad, including Hashukaji.”
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinkan posted on his Twitter account: “The murder of the journalist and legal resident of the United States, Jamal Khushkji, shocked the world. “Starting today, we will have a new global policy bearing his name on imposing visa restrictions on those involved in attacks outside the country by journalists or activists.”