The killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate caused another friction in the diplomatic relations between Ankara and Riyadh. The reaction of the Saudi authorities, which confirmed the death of a prominent journalist only after Turkish side had published irrefutable evidences, has been criticized internationally. The government in Ankara hopes that the Khashoggi case will lead to the decline of Saudi Arabia's importance in world politics, which in turn will allow Turkey to take over the role of a leader of Muslim countries. Hence, the actions of the Turks are intended to portray the Sauds as bloody despots who are brutally murdering their own citizens. However, it is highly unlikely that these accusations would prompt the United States (Saudi Arabia’s most important ally in the region) to cut off relations with the House of Saud.
ZBN Commentary no. 14 (38)/2018
12 November 2018 r.
© 2018 Uniwersytet Jagielloński & Jan Niemiec
The killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate caused another friction in the diplomatic relations between Ankara and Riyadh. The reaction of the Saudi authorities, which confirmed the death of a prominent journalist only after Turkish side had published irrefutable evidences, has been criticized internationally. The government in Ankara hopes that the Khashoggi case will lead to the decline of Saudi Arabia's importance in world politics, which in turn will allow Turkey to take over the role of a leader of Muslim countries. Hence, the actions of the Turks are intended to portray the Sauds as bloody despots who are brutally murdering their own citizens. However, it is highly unlikely that these accusations would prompt the United States (Saudi Arabia’s most important ally in the region) to cut off relations with the House of Saud.