A delegation visited His Majesty to offer congratulations on his accession to the throne. The King received them with his customary graciousness and spoke to them about the issues of the Arab world in general and the question of Palestine in particular. He began by saying:
“My policy is the same policy laid down by my father—one based on understanding and cooperation with all, and on working for the good of all Arabs.”
His Majesty affirmed that the Arab peoples had not failed in striving to achieve their unity, sovereignty, and aspirations; rather, the shortcomings lay with those who held the reins of authority. He added:
“We extend our hands to every Arab government that wishes to walk with us toward fulfilling the hopes of our peoples. For this cause, we are ready to sacrifice ourselves, our children, and our wealth.”
Turning to the question of Palestine, His Majesty stated:
“What caused the fall of Palestine and enabled the enemy to seize its lands was improvisation and the absence of sincerity.”
He continued:
“We bear no enmity toward the Jews if they abandon the lands they have seized and return them to their rightful owners. But we will not tolerate their continued presence there. The Zionist danger is like a cancer—its only cure is removal.”
His Majesty reaffirmed:
“Here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we will not hesitate to sacrifice all that is precious in order to fulfill the aspirations of the Arab peoples.”
(Rabi‘ al‑Thani 1373 — January 1954)