Prince Turki implores Trump to seize this moment in history and become the leader who finally delivers justice to the Palestinian people.

In a powerful letter, Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, a distinguished Saudi royal and former intelligence chief, has called upon former U.S. President Donald J. Trump to take a historic stand for Palestinian rights.

Prince Turki, a grandson of Saudi Arabia’s founder King Abdulaziz and son of the late King Faisal, has long been an advocate for peace and justice in the Middle East. As chairman of the Riyadh-based Think-Tank King Faisal Foundation’s Center for Research and Islamic Studies, his influence in geopolitical affairs remains significant.

A Call for Justice and Recognition

In his letter, Prince Turki challenges the long-standing narrative that disregards Palestinian rights and history. He asserts that the Palestinian people are not illegal immigrants but rightful inhabitants of the land from which they were expelled.

He reminds Trump that the destruction of Palestinian homes by Israeli forces does not erase their history or claims to the land. He calls on the global community to recognize their suffering and support their right to rebuild.

Most of the people in Gaza, he explains, are refugees who were forcibly displaced during the 1948 and 1967 wars. If there is to be any discussion about moving them from Gaza.

Prince Turki insists that Palestinians should have the right to return to their ancestral homes in Haifa, Jaffa, and other cities from which they were expelled. He highlights the injustice of previous Israeli military assaults, which have left generations of Palestinians without a homeland.

Criticism of Western Complicity

Prince Turki does not shy away from condemning the role played by Western powers—particularly the United States and the United Kingdom—in the displacement of Palestinians. He argues that after World War II, instead of resettling Holocaust survivors within Europe, these nations facilitated the establishment of Israel on Palestinian land, leading to the dispossession and suffering of the indigenous population.

He references historical accounts, such as Diana Preston’s Eight Days at Yalta, which details a conversation between U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. According to this account, Roosevelt suggested that Saudi Arabia’s King Ibn Saud should accept six million Jewish refugees as part of a Zionist project, an idea that the king firmly rejected. Instead, King Ibn Saud proposed that Germany, as the perpetrator of the Holocaust, should provide the land for Jewish resettlement.

Prince Turki laments that Roosevelt’s successor, Harry Truman, ignored this perspective and supported mass Jewish immigration to Palestine, leading to the establishment of Israel in 1948. He identifies this decision, alongside Britain’s support of Zionist ambitions from 1917 onwards, as a root cause of the ongoing violence and unrest in the region.

A Path to Peace: The Arab Peace Initiative

Addressing Trump’s previously stated desire to broker peace in the Middle East, Prince Turki urges the former president to take decisive action by recognizing Palestine as a sovereign state. He references key international resolutions—UN General Assembly Resolutions 181 and 194, and UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338—which affirm the Palestinian right to self-determination and outline the framework for a two-state solution.

Prince Turki underscores the Arab Peace Initiative, which has been endorsed by all Arab and Islamic countries as well as the Palestinian Authority. This initiative offers full recognition and peace with Israel in exchange for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He notes that 149 countries already recognize Palestine, urging the United States to become the 150th.

A Historic Opportunity for Trump

In concluding his letter, Prince Turki implores Trump to seize this moment in history and become the leader who finally delivers justice to the Palestinian people. He challenges the president to ensure that his legacy is one of peace, fairness, and reconciliation rather than conflict and division.

“Be remembered as the peacemaker.”

With these words, Prince Turki issues a powerful challenge—not just to Trump, but to all world leaders striving for lasting peace in the Middle East. His letter is a heartfelt reminder that real peace can only come through justice, recognition, and respect for everyone’s rights.

The region has endured decades of conflict, but the chance for peace is still within reach—if leaders choose to act with honesty and fairness. It’s a call to uphold human dignity and work toward a future where peace isn’t just a distant dream, but a reality for those who have suffered for far too long.

During his speech, Al-Faisal claimed that Israel had been providing support to Hamas, a militant group operating in the Gaza Strip. He further alleged that neighboring Qatar had been sending financial aid to Gaza, with the funds flowing through an Israeli bank without adequate oversight or accountability.

Prince Al-Faisal said, “Israel has been supporting Hamas, and our neighboring Qatar has been sending money to Gaza. And it was Israeli bank that allowing that money to get to Hamas, without anybody accounting for that, where that money is going and who’s going to receive it”.

According to Al-Faisal, this lack of transparency raises concerns about the destination and recipients of the money.

The former Saudi intelligence chief’s allegations of Israeli support for Hamas, if proven true, would have significant implications for the regional dynamics and the prospects of peace in the Middle East.

Prince Al-Faisal also directed criticism towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, holding him responsible for the deteriorating situation in Gaza. He accused Netanyahu of arrogance and a failure to acknowledge the realities on the ground, suggesting that the Israeli leader’s actions had backfired.

“If you all are looking for someone to blame for what is happening in Gaza. We can equally say, Israel is to blame for that, and particularly Mr. Netanyahu, his arrogance and his blindness to reality. He thought he was outsmarting everybody. Alas he has been proven wrong”, he said.

Expressing his hopes for the Israeli public, Prince Al-Faisal urged them not to reelect Netanyahu or choose a leader who might be even more detrimental to the peace process.

Prince said, “I hope Israeli public will not put him back in office or choose someone even more awful than he, if there is election in Israel”.

The Israeli public will now face the decision to either reelect Benjamin Netanyahu or choose an alternative leader who can navigate the challenges of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and address the concerns raised by figures like Prince Al-Faisal.

The IISS Manama Dialogue, an annual security conference held in Bahrain, serves as a platform for policymakers, experts, and officials to discuss regional security challenges and explore potential solutions.