Egyptian journalist Fahmy Howeidy
The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi will have “tragic ramifications” for the Arab world, prominent Egyptian journalist Fahmy Howeidy has warned.
“Khashoggi’s killing will have tragic ramifications for the Arab world, atop of which comes Saudi Arabia,” he told Deutsche Welle in an interview.
Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
After weeks of denying any knowledge of his whereabouts, Saudi officials last week admitted that Khashoggi had died inside the consulate building.
In hopes of defusing the international furor over the journalist’s demise, Saudi King Salman sacked the deputy head of the Saudi intelligence agency and a top aide, while also ordering the arrest of 18 individuals suspected of involvement in the case.
Howeidy believes that Khashoggi’s murder “will cause a rift” among allies of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“In case bin Salman is sacked, this will create a crisis for other allies,” he said.
The veteran journalist said he “is confident Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed is not sleeping in the night these days and is closely following what will happen to his friend (bin Salman)”.
Howeidy sees that the position of the international community has changed regarding the Khashoggi case.
“U.S. President Donald Trump is talking that sanctions may be imposed on Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Turkish police have been investigating the Khashoggi’s murder. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 18 suspects arrested in Saudi Arabia over the killing should be extradited to Turkey to face the trial.
Defence Secretary Jim Mattis will stress the U.S. commitment to Middle East security at the weekend, officials said, amid Western concern that any loosening of U.S. ties to Riyadh after Jamal Khashoggi's murder could allow Russia to fill the vacuum.Mattis will give a speech at the annual Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain on Saturday on the United States' policy in the Middle East which will be closely watched in capitals around the region.Katie Wheelbarger, the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, said that Mattis' speech would emphasize that the United States was committed to help allies "re-instill stability in a chaotic region.""So continue to look to the United states as your security partner of choice because you can rely on us and depend on us to be there long term," Wheelbarger told reporters travelling with Mattis.Macron slams calls to halt arms sales to Saudi as populistThere is increasing concern that if Washington abandons the region, countries like Russia will fill the vacuum.Nowhere will the speech be watched more closely then in Riyadh, after Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate this month was premeditated.The death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of de facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has sparked global outrage and mushroomed into a crisis for the world's top oil exporter and strategic ally of the West.Merkel says no arms to Saudi Arabia until Khashoggi killing explainedRiyadh is expected to be watching how far, if at all, Mattis goes in censuring the kingdom in his speech.After Saudi King Salman spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday about the killing, the Kremlin said Russia had no reason to doubt the statements of the king and crown prince that the royal family was not involved.Dozens of Western officials, bankers, and executives shunned a big investment conference in Riyadh this week.Khashoggi's fiancee says journalist was 'worried' before entering Saudi consulateRussia sent the head of its Russian sovereign wealth fund RDIF, who said Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund would become a new partner in a joint Russia-China Investment Fund.Saudi Arabia is the lynchpin of a U.S.-backed regional bloc against Iran but the crisis has strained Riyadh's relations with the West.Experts believe that Washington will have to take some measures to make clear to Saudi Arabia that Khashoggi's killing is unacceptable."I think the key here is that if the administration wants to shift the focus back onto Iran the only way to do that is by taking some steps to respond to what the Saudis have done," Dennis Ross, who served as top Middle East adviser to President Barack Obama, said.Austria calls on EU to halt arms sales to Saudi ArabiaRoss said the increased global pressure on Riyadh may also present an opportunity for Washington to push the kingdom to end a 16-month-old dispute between Qatar and four Arab states that analysts say has weakened regional coordination against Iran.Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut off travel and trade ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of backing their arch-rival, Iran, and supporting terrorism. Qatar denies the charges and says the boycott impinges on its sovereignty.The United States has tried, without success, to mediate in the dispute. It is an ally of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, and Qatar is home to a major U.S. air base."This might not be a bad time for the administration to try to go back in and mediate that dispute, this might be a point where the Saudis will want to be more responsive to us," Ross said. 
Mattis to stress US-Mideast security ties amid Khashoggi strains
The fiancee of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Hatice Cengiz, on Friday said that the journalist was "worried" before he entered the Consulate of Saudi Arabia on Oct. 2.She told Turkish broadcaster Habertürk that Khashoggi had mentioned there could be some issues with him going to the consulate.He assumed Saudi authorities would not interrogate or arrest him in Turkey, although he was concerned tensions would arise when he visited the consulate in Istanbul, added Cengiz.Merkel says no arms to Saudi Arabia until Khashoggi killing explainedShe said that she did not accept U.S. President Donald Trump's invitation to visit the White House because she thought it was aimed at influencing public opinion in his favour.She added that she would not go to the White House until the United States was sincere in its efforts to solve Khashoggi's killing, demanding that all those responsible be tried and punished.Khashoggi had said he was treated well during his first visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Sept. 28, his fiancee Cengiz said.Austria calls on EU to halt arms sales to Saudi ArabiaShe added that Khashoggi did not tell her to call anyone in case anything happened to him during his second visit on Oct. 2 but that he had previously told her to contact Yasin Aktay, an adviser of Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, if he faced any trouble in Turkey. Khashoggi was a U.S. resident who wrote columns for the Washington Post and a critic of the Saudi government, calling for reforms.Turkish officials suspect Saudi security agents killed Khashoggi, 59, inside the consulate and dismembered his body. Turkish sources say authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting the murder.Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said on Thursday the killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, was premeditated, reversing a previous official statement that it happened accidentally during a tussle in the consulate.Iran MP calls for ‘trying’ Riyadh over Khashoggi murderTurkey takes statements of 38 Saudi Consulate employeesTurkey only allowed to take water sample from well at Saudi consulateSaudi crown prince presides over committee to restructure intel agencyKhashoggi affair ‘won’t drive wedge’ between Saudi, Turkey
Khashoggi's fiancee says journalist was 'worried' before entering Saudi consulate
The foreign ministers of Turkey and Saudi Arabia on Friday discussed the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a phone call, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his counterpart Adel al-Jubeir exchanged views on the clearing up the case of Khashoggi, said the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.The top diplomats also discussed bilateral ties, the sources added.Iran MP calls for ‘trying’ Riyadh over Khashoggi murderSaudi-born Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.On Thursday, the Saudis appeared to inch closer to Turkey’s initial findings in the investigation when the kingdom’s public prosecutor said evidence provided by Turkey indicated the killing was planned in advance.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday said that Saudi Arabia will send a chief prosecutor to Turkey regarding the case.Norway wealth fund plans to double Saudi investmentsKremlin says no reason to doubt Saudi statements on Khashoggi murderCall by Khashoggi’s fiancée caused Saudi hit squad to panic, dump journo’s remains in well
Turkish FM discusses Khashoggi case with Saudi counterpart