Intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan said Saudi Arabia will make a “major shift” away from the US due to the US’ policies towards Syria and Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the 2011 revolt in Bahrain. Former intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal called Obama’s Syrian policies “lamentable.” US Secretary of State Kerry told Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal that the US valued the kingdom’s leadership and said it would have more influence if it accepted the seat on the UN Security Council. Saudi Arabia’s UN envoy criticized Israel and the UN on the Palestinian situation.
