Saudi Arabia withdraw citizenship from pro-Israel journalist
Saudi Arabia has withdrawn the citizenship of a Saudi national and journalist who went on social media advocating the normalization of ties with Israel.
Abdul Hameed Al-Ghabin confirmed the news on Twitter, saying he remains unsure of the reasons behind the move. He claims the decision was issued by the Ministry of Interior, yet he was not officially informed of it. "I respect the decision regardless of its rationale. There is nothing we can do but listen and abide," he wrote.
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Al-Ghabin has regularly called for building relationships with Israel, published articles in Israeli publications, and even spoken highly of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to the biography found on his website, Al-Ghabin is a writer and political analyst who has written for a number of prominent Arab media outlets, including Al-Jazeera, Okaz, and Al-Riyadh newspapers. He is known for his pro-Israel views, which he often shares in his writings and on his social media platforms. It is no surprise that Al-Ghabin is highly praised by Israeli groups and his pro-Israel videos are shared by official Israeli social media accounts.
On a recent video he shared, he said: "Israel is a peaceful state and it only seeks peace,".
Interestingly and despite the decision to withdraw his citizenship, Al-Ghabin continues to express support for the Saudi leadership. In a tweet shared on Wednesday, the journalist posted a photo including Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. "This great leadership represents justice and security," he wrote.
According to the Saudi constitution, Article 13 of the Saudi Arabian Citizenship System, the Saudi citizenship may be withdrawn in the following cases:
a. If the Saudi citizen obtained another citizenship and violated Article 11 of this system.
b. If the Saudi citizen worked at the Armed Forces of a foreign government without obtaining the permission of the Saudi government.
c. If the Saudi citizen worked for the benefit of a foreign government during its wartime with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
d. If the Saudi citizen accepted working for a foreign government or international organization and remained working for them despite the Saudi government's order for him to quit.