Former Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Al-Saud chastised Palestinian Authority leadership for its conduct following Israel’s peace and normalization agreements with the UAE and Bahrain, reports the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). His comments were made in an interview with Al-Arabiya Network (Dubai/Saudi Arabia).

Prince Bandar said that the Palestinian leaders had “the audacity to say despicable things” about the Gulf countries and their leaders. He added that while the Palestinian cause is just, the Palestinian leaders have failed at garnering support for this cause.

Prince Bandar further said that the Palestinian leaders have historically placed their bets on the losing party - from Haj Amin Al-Husseini’s support for the Nazis during WWII to siding with Saddam Hussein in his occupation of Kuwait in 1990 and subsequently, his missile attacks against Saudi Arabia.

He said that the Palestinians would repeatedly come to Saudi Arabia for financial aid and advice, and then they would take the aid and ignore the advice.

He added that Saudi Arabia would defend the Palestinians publicly even though it knew they were in the wrong.

Prince Bandar added that the Palestinians now consider Iran to be their ally, while Iran “peddles the Palestinian cause” and wants to “liberate Jerusalem through Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria.” He mocked Turkey for calling its ambassador back from the UAE while keeping the Turkish ambassador in Tel Aviv.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan served for over two decades as the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., upon his return, he served as the Secretary General of the Saudi National Council and as Director General of the Saudi Intelligence Agency. His daughter, Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, is the current Saudi Ambassador to the United States.