Saudi Prince Khaled bin Talal pledged an additional $900,000 to a $100,000 bounty already offered to anyone who kidnaps Israeli soldiers. Prince Khaled's promotion of terror is at odds with donations given by his brother Prince Al-Waleed, who has funded programs promoting Arab and Islamic studies in American universities.
Following a major prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas, an Israeli family offered $100,000 for the killing of one released prisoner who had victimized them. The offer was met by prominent Saudi cleric Awad al-Qarni, who offered the same amount to anyone who would kidnap an Israeli soldier, to later be used exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Speaking by telephone Saturday to the Saudi al-Daleed TV station, Prince Khaled pledged the extra money to counter "Israeli threats" against the cleric's life. "I tell Sheik al-Qarani that I support you and I will pay $900,000 to make it one million dollars to capture an Israeli soldier to release other prisoners," said Prince Khaled, who holds no official position in the government.
While some members of the Saudi royal family have become major businessmen and promoters of Arab culture, including the fabulously wealthy Prince Al-Waleed, others have donated extensive sums to promoting terrorist causes and spreading radicalism.
In 2002, then Crown Prince Abdullah was thanked in person by senior Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, for continuing "to send aid to the [Palestinian] people through the civilian and popular channels, despite all the American pressures exerted on them." The donations haven't stopped even after the American designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization, sparking controversies in 2007 over Saudi donations to Hamas charities.