Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz
An Israeli official on Friday called the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul "despicable" but said that cementing ties with Gulf states in the struggle against Iran was Israel's overriding concern.
In his remarks to radio station 102 FM, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz did not explicitly say whether his views were those of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which has been reticent in commenting on the case.
Asked about Khashoggi's death, Steinitz said: "It was a despicable action. It's worthy of all reproach. This was a civilian, a journalist, not a terrorist."
He went on to say, however, that Israel's struggle against Iran was more pressing.
"We have a threat that can become an existential threat - the threat of a nuclear Iran, the threat of terror, the threat of spreading through Syria and Lebanon. And Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, are our allies in recent years against the spread of Iran and against the Iranian nuclear threat," he said.
Slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s body was dismembered in order to dissolve it more easily in acid, said Yasin Aktay, a sociologist and advisor to Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party who was also a friend of Khashoggi.“According to the latest information we have obtained, the reason they dismembered Khashoggi’s body was to dissolve his remains more easily. They intended to leave no trace behind,” he said in an interview with Hürriyet daily.“Murder, killing an innocent person is a separate crime and what they did to his remains is another crime and disgrace,” Aktay added.Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed inside the Consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on Oct. 2. “We had been informed that Khashoggi’s body was dismembered. But now we see that they did not only dismember his body but also vaporized it.”The Istanbul Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday said that Khashoggi was strangled to death "in a premeditated way" shortly after he entered the consulate to obtain documents for his pending nuptials, adding that his body was disposed of after being dismembered. “His body was not found, even though we traced it with all the current camera systems. There is evidence of this killing. If he knew what would happen after he entered the consulate, would he have gone through the door?” he concluded.After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Oct. 20 acknowledged his death, saying he had died in a fistfight.Since then, Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said Khashoggi’s killing was premeditated, contradicting the previous official statement that it happened accidentally during a tussle in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.Saudi prince disparaged Khashoggi in US calls: reportGermany hardening line on Saudi Arabia and KhashoggiArab media covers Turkey's Khashoggi statementUS urges return of Khashoggi's remains to family
'Khashoggi’s body was dismembered, dissolved in acid'
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman described slain columnist Jamal Khashoggi as a dangerous Islamist in a call with top Donlald Trump administration officials, the Washington Post reported Thursday.The comments were made during a call with National Security Advisor John Bolton and the president's senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner before Riyadh acknowledged it killed Khashoggi, the newspaper reported.Bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, sought to portray Khashoggi as a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist group originating in Egypt that has been the focus of criticism for some in the Trump administration, including Bolton.Germany hardening line on Saudi Arabia and KhashoggiA Saudi official denied the comments were made.But the reported comments, if true, stand in stark contrast to public statements made by the kingdom as it produced a shifting narrative over Khashoggi's disappearance before ultimately acknowledging he was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul amid international outcry.Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told Fox News that Khashoggi's death was a "terrible mistake" while simultaneously lamenting the "terrible tragedy."Arab media covers Turkey's Khashoggi statement"This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had. They made the mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it," he said.Reports had indicated the kingdom was planning to blame Khashoggi's death on rogue agents before it ultimately acknowledged he was killed in the consulate. Saudi Arabia has yet to explain its shifting narrative on Khashoggi's disappearance, nor has Riyadh produced his body after several reports said he was dismembered in the diplomatic facility.Saudi prince paying price for Khashoggi killingThe Istanbul Prosecutor's Office said Khashoggi was strangled to death "in a premeditated way" shortly after he entered the consulate to obtain documents for his pending nuptials, adding that his body was disposed of after being dismembered.Senior U.S. lawmakers, including Senator Lindsey Graham, have scoffed at suggestions anyone besides bin Salman could have signed off on the operation.US urges return of Khashoggi's remains to familyWorld media criticize Saudi Arabia's lack of cooperation
Saudi prince disparaged Khashoggi in US calls: report
Germany is still waiting for a transparent and credible investigation from Saudi Arabia into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and is ready to take action in light of new findings, a government spokesman has said.The spokesman, who asked not to be named, told Anadolu Agency that Germany was increasingly concerned over the case as many questions remained unanswered almost a month after Khashoggi's disappearance.“We are now following very closely whether Saudi Arabia is endeavoring to ensure transparency in the clarification of the case and to hold to account those responsible. In light of this development, we are ready to take appropriate action with our international partners,” he said, referring to widespread calls for sanctions against Riyadh.German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by phone with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman last week and called for a rapid, transparent and credible investigation, stressing that all those responsible must be held accountable.Saudi prince paying price for Khashoggi killing“This appeal to Saudi Arabia remains valid. Saudi Arabia has committed itself to this in several public statements and must now be measured by these statements,” the spokesman said.The German government has also praised Turkey’s efforts to unravel the truth since Khashoggi's disappearance.“The work of the Turkish authorities has played a major role in the investigation of the case to date. The federal government supports all efforts to clarify this case completely,” he stressed.US urges return of Khashoggi's remains to familyJamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, was killed on Oct. 2 inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.After weeks of denying involvement, the Kingdom admitted last week that Khashoggi had been killed at the consulate but claimed that the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge of a plot to murder him.So far, 18 people, including security officers, have been arrested in Saudi Arabia in connection with the murder. World media criticize Saudi Arabia's lack of cooperationOn Wednesday, Turkish prosecutors announced their preliminary findings, saying Khashoggi was strangled to death in a premeditated killing soon after he entered the Saudi consulate.The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said Khashoggi's body had been disposed of after being dismembered.Saudi authorities have so far claimed that they do not know the whereabouts of his remains.UK: Vigil held for Khashoggi outside Saudi embassyGates Foundation stops backing Saudi charity
Germany hardening line on Saudi Arabia and Khashoggi
Arab media highlighted Turkey's statement about the violent death on Oct. 2 of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul."Victim Jamal Khashoggi was strangled to death -- with premeditation -- soon after he entered the Istanbul Consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Oct. 2, 2018 for wedding procedures," the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office said in a statement Wednesday. "His body was disposed of after being dismembered following his death by suffocation -- again, in line with plans."Saudi Attorney General Saud al-Mujeb, along with a delegation, traveled to Turkey on Oct. 28 and visited the prosecutor's office on Oct. 29.The Arab press highlighted Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Irfan Fidan's investigation of the murder.Saudi prince paying price for Khashoggi killingEuropean media criticize S.Arabia's lack of cooperationSaudi ArabiaCommenting on al-Mujeb’s visit to Turkey, Saudi daily Okaz ran the headline, “Attorney general concludes 72-hour visit by meeting with [Turkish] intelligence and inviting Turkish counterpart [to visit Saudi Arabia].”Notably, the newspaper used the term “death” of Khashoggi instead of “killing” or “murder.”“The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s office announced that the incident was previously planned, and this is what al-Mujeb announced seven days ago, that the [Saudi] Public Prosecutor’s Office received information from the Turkish side pointing out that the suspects carried out their acts with premeditation,” it wrote.EgyptState-run newspapers including Al-Ahram, Al-Khbar, and Al-Gomhuria did not run any stories about the Turkish statement on Khashoggi’s murder.But dailies Al-Shorouk and Al-Masry Al-Youm highlighted the Turkish prosecutors’ statement on their front pages.Al-Shorouk said in its headline “Turkish chief prosecutor: Khashoggi was strangled to death.” “Khashoggi was killed according to a plan previously prepared and his body was dismembered and discarded,” the newspaper said, citing the Turkish statement.Al-Masry Al-Youm cited Anadolu Agency coverage of the Turkish prosecutor saying: “We have been informed that the fate of the body can be revealed in the result of interrogations to be conducted jointly in Saudi Arabia, as well as to determine whether the killing of Jamal Khashoggi was planned or not."It said the Saudi attorney general told the Turkish public prosecutor “there has been no statement from the Saudi side on the presence of a local collaborator in the incident.”QatarAl-Jazeera reported on its website that “officials from Turkish intelligence service let Saudi Attorney General al-Mujeb listen to sound recordings of the killing of Khashoggi.”IranIranian official and semiofficial news agencies -- including IRNA, FHA, Mehr and Tasnim -- reported the Turkish public prosecutor’s statement as breaking news.State TV also highlighted the statement in news bulletins and breaking news tickers.The Tasnim News Agency cited the Turkish public prosecutor saying: “The Saudi attorney general didn’t answer our questions. Khashoggi was strangled to death and his body dismembered.”US urges return of Khashoggi's remains to familyUK: Vigil held for Khashoggi outside Saudi embassy
Arab media covers Turkey's Khashoggi statement