Screenshots of a now-deleted tweet by Saudi Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal went viral on twitter, after the latter announced that he will reward the 100 Saudi fighter pilots who participated in Saudi Arabia’s airstrike campaign in Yemen with Bentley luxury cars.
Bin Talal’s declaration that was said to be tweeted on Tuesday following the announcement of a new phase in the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, read: “I congratulate our wise leaders on the victory of Operation Decisive Storm and the beginning of Operation Restoring Hope, to recognize the one hundred participating Saudi pilots I am pleased to present them with 100 Bentley cars.” [Translated from Arabic]
Alwaleed bin Talal 2 spend Millions on 100 Bentley 2 reward Saudi Air Force's failure & warcrimes on Yemeni civilians pic.twitter.com/jkCFcrLFiA — ر Tala ن (@Taltool11) April 21, 2015
Alwaleed bin Talal 2 spend Millions on 100 Bentley 2 reward Saudi Air Force's failure & warcrimes on Yemeni civilians pic.twitter.com/jkCFcrLFiA
Many Twitter users criticized the Saudi prince’s tweet while citing the human tragedies caused by the operation in Yemen.
#Bentley for Saudi Pilots & what about the innocent victims who died due to the bombing ? @Alwaleed_Talal #Yemen #OpDecisiveStorm — Usman Ali Khan (@TheDocKhan) April 21, 2015
#Bentley for Saudi Pilots & what about the innocent victims who died due to the bombing ? @Alwaleed_Talal #Yemen #OpDecisiveStorm
Each of the 100 Saudi pilots of #OpDecisiveStorm will get a Bentley. But #Yemen will continue to sustain these wounds pic.twitter.com/HJoD9xdgiG — Ruba A. (@raleryan) April 21, 2015
Each of the 100 Saudi pilots of #OpDecisiveStorm will get a Bentley. But #Yemen will continue to sustain these wounds pic.twitter.com/HJoD9xdgiG
Prince AlWaleed gave 100 Bentley's to Saudi pilots. I got my apartment blown up. Yet I bet my spirits are higher than all those pilots 😝😝 — Ammar Al-Aulaqi (@ammar82) April 21, 2015
Prince AlWaleed gave 100 Bentley's to Saudi pilots. I got my apartment blown up. Yet I bet my spirits are higher than all those pilots 😝😝
Prince al Waleed Bin Talal, 60, is the wealthiest member of the Saudi monarchy and among the richest men in the world with a fortune valued at nearly $23 billion.
He is one of the grandsons of Saudi Arabia’s founding rulers, King Abdulaziz, and is the chairman of the Kingdom Holding Company investment firm.
This is not the first time the prince has promised luxury cars to reward Saudi citizens, but in 2014, he offered 25 cars, believed to be Bentleys, to members of a Saudi soccer club after their victory in a league competition.