RIYADH, Oct 15: Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal of Saudi Arabia, the sixth wealthiest entrepreneur in the world as per Forbes listing with a personal fortune of 20.3 billion dollars, has said New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani had rejected his 10 million dollars donation for the victims of the World Trade Center under Zionist pressure.

The prince had announced the donation after he accompanied Mayor Giuliani on an eight-hour visit to the devastated site.

“Although Prince Alwaleed had strongly denounced terrorism, his stance on the US foreign policy was not to the liking of Mayor Giuliani and the American media”, said a statement issued by the Kingdom Holding Company, of which Prince Alwaleed is chairman.

“It’s time the United States was fair with the Arabs, chiefly, with regard to the Palestinian cause,” the prince had told the New York gathering.

In an interview with the CNN on Thursday, Prince Alwaleed again called on the United States to reconsider its “blind” support for Israel “if it is to win the war against terrorism”.

His remarks angered Giuliani, who described them as “highly irresponsible” and “dangerous”. Giuliani said he rejected the money because the statement “referred to Israelis as slaughterers”.

In an interview with the Saudi daily, Okaz, Prince Alwaleed insisted that he would not back down on his statement on the Palestinian issue.

He, however, insisted, “We are against terrorism, and at the same time we are with the Palestinians and their cause.”

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...