LONDON: Washington’s warm welcome for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has cast a rosy glow over the US and Saudi Arabia’s “strong relationship’’ and looks likely to raise US President Donald Trump’s standing in the Kingdom still further, say analysts.
Deals struck during the trip are expected to deepen the ties developed during Trump’s first year in office, building on the positive reception he received during his visit to Saudi Arabia in May last year.
“Even frank conversations … about hard topics are unlikely to dampen the strong relationship between the two countries,” said Becca Wasser, a Middle East policy analyst at the US think tank Rand.
While the red carpet rolled out for the crown prince has not quite matched the “glitz and glamor” of Trump’s Riyadh reception, there has been no shortage of friendly overtures from the White House.
Trump’s trip last year prompted a surge in support for the US president in the Kingdom, with 57 percent of participants saying the visit had strengthened US-Saudi ties, while 23 percent said they would vote for Trump if given the chance, according to a YouGov survey.
The study revealed a 15-point increase in support compared with a previous poll conducted by YouGov and Arab News in October 2016, when only 8 percent of Saudis said they would choose Trump as US president.
“There is no doubting that the popularity of President Trump in Saudi Arabia is significant. This is exactly why Mohammed bin Salman headed to Washington to reinforce his plans for Vision 2030,” said Andrew Campbell, managing director of Brand Finance Middle East.
“In our Brand Finance Nation Brands report, Saudi Arabia ranked as the 22nd most valuable brand globally and it is precisely this global influence that the Trump administration is looking to leverage,” he said.
Riding on the back of a rewarding trip to London earlier this month, the crown prince was looking to “mirror that same success in the United States,” Wasser said.
Saudi officials see greater accord with team Trump than with previous administrations, observers said.
“Among policymakers, (Trump) has been welcomed as a clear change from his predecessor, and someone whose background as a larger-than-life real estate developer they could much more easily relate to, unlike President Obama, where there was no personal chemistry or mutual understanding,” said Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Middle East Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute.
Since taking office, the US president has won over many in the Kingdom, who see him as a “firm supporter of Saudi Arabia” and an ally on “critical issues of mutual interest,” said Gerald Feierstein, director for Gulf affairs and government relations at the Middle East Institute.
“Saudi Arabia has been eager to show it is open for business and that includes attracting more US investment — in line with broader goals to increase FDI share in GDP enshrined in Vision 2030,” said Maya Senussi, senior Middle East economist at Oxford Economics.
Strategic challenges in the region, particularly Iran, have also featured in the latest talks. The US and Saudi Arabia remain broadly aligned on the challenges posed by the Iranian regime and the need to curtail its widening reach across the Middle East.
However, the Trump administration has so far failed to follow through on its tough talk over Iran and the nuclear deal remains in place. The US has also disappointed Saudi expectations over its response to the Qatar boycott. Trump’s tweets initially endorsed Saudi Arabia’s position, but US approval for firmer action has since been withheld.
The US president’s tendency to detour on policy positions has put many Middle East governments on their guard, Ulrichsen said. While Saudi officials had “high hopes” when Trump took office, his record since has been “somewhat underwhelming.”
Dr. Christopher Davidson, Middle East politics professor at Durham University, said the Saudi perspective on Trump was “very wary,” although the recent ousting of Rex Tillerson — an unpopular figure in the Kingdom — as US secretary of state would have scored well with many in Saudi Arabia.
“The issues are perhaps more with the rest of US government rather than necessarily Trump himself. I would say with the firing of Rex Tillerson, one of the stumbling blocks is gone,” Senussi said.
“Like other countries, Saudi Arabia has struggled to keep pace with some of the changes in the Trump administration during its first year as well as contradictory statements from senior members of the administration. Such discrepancies are concerning for US partners, such as Saudi Arabia, and difficult for them to manage,” said Wasser.
However, she said the administration’s “unwavering support” for Saudi policies, in particular the reform program being rolled out by the crown prince, holds true and “undoubtedly shapes the view of President Trump from Riyadh.”
Trump rolls out the red carpet for ‘firm ally’
Trump rolls out the red carpet for ‘firm ally’
Pilgrims commence the final rites of Hajj as Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Adha
- The stoning is among the final rites of the Hajj, which is one of the Five Pillars of Islam
- All Muslims are required to make the Hajj once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so
The stoning is among the final rites of the Hajj, which is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It came a day after more than 1.8 million pilgrims congregated on a sacred hill in Mount Ararat outside the holy city of Makkah, which Muslim pilgrims visit to perform the annual five-day rituals of Hajj.
The pilgrims left Mount Arafat on Saturday evening to spend their night in a nearby site known as Muzdalifa, where they collected pebbles they have used in the symbolic stoning of pillars representing the devil.
The pillars are in another sacred place in Makkah, called Mina, where Muslims believe Ibrahim’s faith was tested when God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Ismail. Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but then God stayed his hand, sparing his son. In the Christian and Jewish version of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.
Pilgrims will spend the next three days in Mina, where they walk long distances on pedestrian-only streets toward a multi-story complex housing large pillars. There, they cast seven pebbles each at three pillars in a ritual meant to symbolize the casting away of evil and sin.
While in Mina, they will visit Makkah to perform “tawaf,” circumambulation, which is circling the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque counterclockwise seven times. They will make another circumambulation, known as Farewell Tawaf, at the end of Hajj and as they prepare to leave the holy city.
The rites coincide with the four-day Eid Al-Adha, which means “Feast of Sacrifice,” when Muslims with the financial means commentate Ibrahim’s test of faith through slaughtering livestock and animals and distributing the meat to the poor.
Once the Hajj is over, men are expected to shave their heads and remove the shroud-like white garments worn during the pilgrimage, and women to snip a lock of hair in a sign of renewal and rebirth.
Most of the pilgrims then leave Makkah for the city of Madinah, about 340 kilometers away, to pray in Prophet Muhammad’s tomb, the Sacred Chamber. The tomb is part of the prophet’s mosque, which is one of the three holiest sites in Islam, along with the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
All Muslims are required to make the Hajj once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so. Many wealthy Muslims make the pilgrimage more than once. The rituals largely commemorate the accounts of Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismail, Ismail’s mother Hajjar and Prophet Muhammad, according to the Qur’an, Islam’s holy book.
More than 1.83 million Muslims performed Hajj in 2024, Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah said in a briefing, slightly less than last year’s figures when 1.84 million made the rituals.
Most of the Hajj rituals are held outdoors with little if any shade. It is set for the second week of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the last month in the Islamic lunar calendar, so its time of the year varies. And this year the pilgrimage fell in the burning summer of Saudi Arabia. The heat soared to 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 F) at Mount Arafat on Saturday.
This year’s Hajj came against the backdrop of the devastating Israel-Hamas war, which has pushed the Middle East to the brink of a regional conflict.
225 pilgrims treated for heat stress and fatigue on second day of Hajj
- The cases were treated at the Medical Center for Heat Exhaustion and Sunstroke
ARAFAT, Makkah: Some 225 cases of pilgrims suffering from heat stress and fatigue had been treated at the Medical Center for Heat Exhaustion and Sunstroke in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency said early Sunday.
The cases were reported on Saturday, the second day of Hajj, when pilgrims ascended Mount Arafat to ask God for mercy, blessings, prosperity and good health.
The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the Hill of Mercy, is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage.
The center, affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, has 20 beds equipped with the latest devices to deal with cases of heat stress and sunstroke.
It is also equipped with an air and water spray distribution system through sprinklers covering all parts of the injured person’s body, in addition to clinics for men and women and a pharmacy.
Saudi officials had earlier advised pilgrims to wear umbrellas and keep themselves hydrated, and to take rest periods between rituals to avoid heat fatigue.
The National Center for Meteorology had forecasted that temperatures in Makkah will range between 45 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius, from hot to very hot, with little rain potential.
Arafat sermon projected to reach 1 billion listeners worldwide
- The translated sermons promote peace, coexistence, and a deeper understanding of Islam
ARAFAT, Makkah: The Arafat sermon delivered on Saturday at Namira Mosque in Makkah was projected to reach a staggering one billion listeners worldwide, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The sermon was translated live into 20 languages as part of the groundbreaking initiative launched by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman's in 2018. Non-simultaneous translations into 17 languages were further made.
Spearheaded by the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, the project serves as a cornerstone in spreading the message of moderation and centrism espoused by the holy sites, SPA said.
"The translated sermons promote peace, coexistence, and a deeper understanding of Islam — a religion built on mercy, tolerance, and peaceful living," the report said.
When the project was first launched in 2018, translations were offered in only five languages. Its reach has continued to grow each year. Sermons are translated into an increasing number of languages and broadcast on various platforms, including digital platforms, FM radio, and Islamic television channels.
"These efforts demonstrate the Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to serving Islam and the global Muslim community," the report said, adding that the initiative "exemplifies Saudi Arabia’s dedication to serving the Two Holy Mosques and their pilgrims. It further reflects the leadership’s commitment to promoting global peace and the values of tolerance and moderation," said the report.
"Having surpassed 200 million listeners in 2020, the project fulfills the Kingdom’s sacred responsibility of caring for the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors. By translating the Arafat sermon, they effectively share the message of these holy sites with the entire Muslim world," it further said.
Interior minister inspects Hajj security forces in Makkah
- Prince Abdulaziz met with the commanders of the forces and discussed their preparations for their assigned tasks.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Interior and chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud has inspected the special security forces participating in this year's Hajj security forces in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency said early Sunday.
As part of the visit, Prince Abdulaziz met with the commanders of the forces and discussed their preparations for their assigned tasks.
Prince Abdulaziz was accompanied by several high-ranking officials and senior officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and State Security.
Hajj reaches its pinnacle; number of pilgrims placed at 1.83 million
- 150 treated for heat exhaustion
- Sermon includes prayer for war-hit Palestinians
- ‘Stoning the devil’ ritual begins today
JEDDAH: Muslims from around the world congregated on Saturday at a sacred hill in Saudi Arabia for worship and reflection amid sweltering heat.
The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the hill of mercy, is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage. It is often the most memorable for pilgrims, who stand together asking God for mercy, blessings, prosperity and good health.
Thousands of pilgrims walked here through the predawn darkness. They recited “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (O Lord, here I am answering your call) and verses from the Holy Qur’an.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the number of pilgrims reached 1,833,164.
This year’s Hajj came against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, which pushed the Middle East to the brink of a regional conflict.
In his sermon at the Namira Mosque in Arafat, imam Maher bin Hamad Al-Mu’wiqly, urged pilgrims to pray for the Palestinians who have been “harmed and hurt by their enemy” that killed them, and “deprived them of what they need from food, medicine and clothing.”
Most of the pilgrims at Mount Arafat carried umbrellas, while others sat in the shade. Many were seen splashing water on their faces and bodies.
Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel said more than 150 pilgrims have been treated for heat exhaustion.
He urged pilgrims to drink water and carry umbrellas as they perform Hajj’s rituals.
At sunset on Saturday, pilgrims left Mount Arafat, heading to a nearby site known as Muzdalifah to collect pebbles they will use in the symbolic stoning of pillars representing the devil back in Mina. Pilgrims then return to Mina for three days, coinciding with the festive Eid Al-Adha holiday. Afterward, they return to Makkah for a final circumambulation, known as Farewell Tawaf. Once the Hajj is over, men shave their heads, and women snip a lock of hair in a sign of renewal.
