Israel Matzav

Wine, women and song, Saudi style

With just 0.4% of the documents disclosed (about 1,000 out of 250,000), the revelations from Wikileaks just keep on coming. In one document released on Wednesday, it was disclosed that when it comes to wine, women and song, the Saudi Royal Family's attitude is that it's for me and not for thee.

According to the leaked dispatches, officials from the Jeddah consulate detailed an underground Halloween party in which alcohol and prostitutes were readily available. The party, attended by over 150 Saudi men and women mostly in their twenties and thirties, was organized by a member of the Saudi royalty, a wealthy prince from the Al Thunayan family.

The party was held in a heavily secured villa and some of the funding was contributed by a US energy drink. The diplomat recommended the prince's identity remain secret.

The dispatch was signed off by Martin Quinn, the consul in Jeddah.

"Alcohol, though strictly prohibited by Saudi law and custom, was plentiful at the party's well-stocked bar," explained the cable. "The hired Filipino bartenders served a cocktail punch using sadiqi, a locally-made "moonshine". It was also learned through word-of-mouth that a number of the guests were in fact 'working girls', not uncommon for such parties."

American party attendees added that, "Though not witnessed directly at this event, cocaine and hashish use is common in these social circles."

Secret, underground parties protected by Saudi royalty and accessible only to the wealthy, were described as "thriving and throbbing" in the dispatch.

"The scene resembled a nightclub anywhere outside the Kingdom: plentiful alcohol, young couples dancing, a DJ at the turntables, and everyone in costume," the dispatch continued.

"Over the past few years, the increased conservatism of Saudi Arabia’s external society has pushed the nightlife and party scene in Jeddah even further underground," a prominent Saudi was quoted in the dispatch as saying.

Heh.

The cartoon at the top is a Saudi cartoon about the Wikileaks document dump.

Labels: for me and not for thee, Saudi Royal Family, Wikileaks, wine, women and song

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:21 PM