"Over the past few months, there have been misunderstandings in our relations that are in sharp contrast to our otherwise strong strategic ties with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and we sincerely regret this." Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas used these words in a New appearance York on the side of his counterpart Adel al-Jubeir ended the simmering diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia for ten months.
For the regime-loyal media in the kingdom and the propagandists of the ruling house, Maas's words are nothing but the admission of defeat. "Germany apologizes to Saudi Arabia: Diplomatic victory for the kingdom of determination," headlines "Okaz", one of the country's largest newspapers. The Twitter news channel "SaudiNews50" - with more than eleven million followers one of the longest-reachers in Saudi Arabia - announces: "Germany apologizes ... that Saudi diplomacy triumphs."
ألمانيا تتأسف .. الدبلوماسية السعودية تنتصر.
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# المانيا_تتاسف_للسعوديه
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The same message is conveyed by journalists and policy experts who are close to the royal family. "Saudi Arabia remains an important ally of the great powers and a friend whom nobody wants to lose because he heads the Arab and Islamic world," writes publicist Yahya al-Taleedi. Abdallah al-Bander, political journalist at Sky News Arabia writes: "Germany is seeking a closer relationship with Riyadh than ever before, demonstrating that Saudi Arabia's power in the world is growing."
Ali al-Gofaily, political journalist at MBC, says: "Saudi Arabia is demonstrating its strength and prestige at various levels, and I'm proud to see that my country is involved in regional and international affairs everywhere."
"Hitler would have come to Riyadh"
It is noteworthy that many Saudi Arabian observers link Maas' statement in connection with the announced investments of the Emirate of Qatar in Germany. According to them, the investment of ten billion euros that Emir Tamim had announced at the beginning of the month during a visit to Berlin was nothing more than a bribe intended to dissuade the Federal Republic from normalizing its relations with Saudi Arabia.
Background: Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been enemies for more than a year, Riyadh has imposed a blockade against the neighboring state and wants to further isolate the dwarf state internationally.
"You have lost your money", scoffing under the hashtag "Germany apologizes to Saudi Arabia" now many supporters of the royal family in the direction of Qatar.
In her opinion, the apology of the Federal Government is only the beginning: They expect that after Heiko Maas also the Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland will apologize. Relations between Riyadh and Ottawa have been frozen since the Canadian Foreign Minister demanded the release of suffragette Samar Badawi, who was detained in Saudi Arabia, via Twitter.
Many even drive Maas' explanation to lyrical effusions. The poet Turki bin Rashid al-Zlami published on the occasion of the apology from Berlin, a poem whose first lines are: "If Hitler were alive today, he would have come against his will to Riyad for excuse."
لو كان هتلر حي معهم الى الحين
غصبا يجي يم الرياض يتأسف
شف نجد وش بعده عن جدار برلين
على الخطا حتى الخواجه تحسف
لحكامنا تخضع شعوب وسلاطين
بالحق ماهو ظلم ولا تعسف
# المانيا_تتاسف_للسعوديه pic.twitter.com/tcpOAVSHvg