Press photo of the great opponent of the Zionist movement Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the foreign minister of Saud Arabia (and later the king of Saudi Arabia), a few days after the declaration of independence of the State of Israel. New York, May 18, 1948.
In the photo, Faisal is seen sitting on a sofa and looking through a newspaper. Sheikh Ibrahim Suleiman sits next to him. Next to the two lies the New York World-Telegram newspaper on the chair. The main headline of the newspaper: "Jewish Nation Proclaimed" - the state of the Jews was proclaimed. The photo was taken in Flushing Meadows Park in New York City, the meeting place of the United Nations General Assembly at the time.
On the back of the photograph printed details about the photograph (French) and the stamp of the news agency INP - International News Photos; "The Jewish nation was born", the photo agency wrote, and details about the photo.
Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - the third king of Saudi Arabia. During his long tenure as Saudi Foreign Minister, between 1930-1960, he initiated various actions against Zionism. Back under his father's rule, when Faisal represented Saudi Arabia at the Round Table Conference, he presented his opposition to any partition plan of Mandatory Israel. In 1948 he attacked the State of Israel and called on his countrymen to sympathize with the injustice done to the Arabs of the Land of Israel in the War of Independence. He opposed the recognition of the State of Israel and called for the unification of the Arab world against Israel and putting internal rivalries and struggles aside. During the meeting of the Arab League in Alexandria in 1964, he offered 5,000,000 pounds to contribute to the establishment of a Palestinian militia to fight Israel. Over the years, he worked a lot to form a unified Arab position against Zionism, and to strengthen the Arab position in the balance of power in world politics. In the Six Day War he ignored the inter-Arab disputes and sided with Egypt against Israel.
22x17 cm. Stains. Minor defects in the margins. Tiny pinholes at the top of the photograph. Good condition.
