Netanyahu condemns killing of Khashoggi as "horrible" but says Iran is the biggest threat

ISTANBUL – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi as "horrible", but warned against any reaction that would destabilize the political status quo in Riyadh.

Khashoggi was last seen a month ago on Friday as he was entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul to retrieve a personal document. Turkish officials claimed that he was seized and strangled almost immediately by a strike group sent from Riyadh and that his body was subsequently dismembered.

Israel remained silent throughout the ensuing global storm, although Western officials said behind the scenes that they told the Trump administration that Saudi Arabia was an important strategic partner in a region where US policy was aimed at countering Iran.

"What happened in the Istanbul consulate is horrible and must be remedied," said Netanyahu, speaking in the Bulgarian city of Varna. "Yet, I say at the same time, it is very important for the stability of the world, for the region and for the world, that Saudi Arabia remains stable."

"I think we have to find a way to achieve both goals," he said, "because the most important problem is Iran, and we need to make sure that the Iran does not continue its evil activities. "

[Khashoggi death throws new light on Saudi prince’s crackdown on dissent]

The assassination of Khashoggi poses a dilemma for the Trump administration, which must increasingly take punitive action against one of its major Middle Eastern allies and one of the largest importers of US weapons.

Netanyahu also noted the improved relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, as well as several other Arab countries, in recent months. This sometimes refers to what he sees as a shared strategic threat of Iran; On other occasions, he mentioned it in the broader context of a regional peace plan that would bypass Palestinians.

Netanyahu's comments quickly drew praise from Khalid bin Ahmad al-Khalifa, Bahrain's foreign minister, who is a powerful ally of Saudi Arabia.

In a message posted on Twitter, Khalid said the Israeli prime minister had "a clear vision of the stability of the region and the role of Saudi Arabia in preserving this stability."

Analysts suggested Friday that Netanyahu had decided to publicly support Saudi Arabia and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to encourage the feeling of debt in the future .

"Netanyahu also sees here the opportunity to score points with bin Salman in case he stays in power and continues to lead Saudi Arabia," said Ofer Zalzberg, Senior Crisis Group Analyst for Israeli Issues -palestiniennes.

Such a show of public support by the Crown Prince at a sensitive political moment could have "significant potential long-term gains," Zalzberg said.

[WorldViews: Trump and the Saudis keep fumbling after Khashoggi’s killing]

In an essay released Friday by The Washington Post to mark the passing of a month after the murder of Khashoggi – the writer had been a contributing columnist – his fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, urged US and European leaders to prosecute those responsible.

"We must all send a clear message: authoritarian regimes can never again kill journalists," she wrote.

Saudi Arabia provided shifting explanations about Khashoggi's disappearance and death, claiming that he had left the consulate and described his assassination as a whimsical operation with no connection to the rulers of the kingdom.

Riyadh rejected Turkish extradition appeals of 18 people suspected of involvement in the killing, at least one of whom had served in Mohammed's personal security offices.

"I'm not naive. I know that governments do not operate on feelings, but on mutual interests, "Cengiz wrote. "However, they must all ask themselves a fundamental question: if the democracies of the world do not take sincere measures to bring to justice the perpetrators of this insane and senseless act – which provoked the universal indignation of their citizens – of what moral authority do they have? they left with.

[Turkey’s justice minister warns ‘no one can avoid responsibility’ for Khashoggi killing]

Elsewhere, the aftermath of Khashoggi's assassination continues, with Norway claiming to have summoned its Saudi ambassador.

"We talked about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and presented our point of view to the Saudi ambassador several times after he knew of it," said Ine Eriksen, Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs, in a statement. "We have emphasized how seriously we take this problem."

Human rights groups have also stepped up calls for action against the Saudi government, citing the chilling effect Khashoggi's killing would have on human rights defenders around the world.

"The assassination of Jamal Khashoggi was not only aimed at silencing a man, but also at intimidating and suppressing dissident voices across borders," said Summer Lopez, senior director of free expression programs at PEN America. in a statement. "This poses a threat not only to the journalists, not to the critics of the Saudi government, but to all those who defend human rights and the truth."

Ruth Eglash in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Read more

Today's coverage of Swiss Post correspondents around the world

Love Washington Post World on Facebook and stay up to date on foreign news