Blog note: The killing of Jamal Khashoggi has geo-political and prophetic significance. It has exposed the extremes that the Saudi Government will go to ‘silence’ even the smallest or greatest of dissent and criticism. It also showcases the growing evil behind Mohammed Bin Salman and the cult of obedience to him. He is highly regarded by his millennial generation (he is in his early 30’s) and is widely considered the future face of the country. He is also in line to become the 8^th King of Saudi Arabia from the House of Saud. However, his track record in the very few short years he has been on the stage in the Middle East is worrisome. Yes, there have been despots and dictators all over the Middle East for decades. Nothing new. HOWEVER, the power that is coalescing around Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is worrisome because of the role Saudi Arabia plays in the Middle East, its size and influence with OPEC, its role as one of the largest oil producers in the world, its relationship with the U.S./Trump over arms deals, its oil agreements with Putin/Russia and so on. Strangely, Saudi Arabia and ‘MBS’ have sided with Israel, since IRAN is both Israel’s and Saudi Arabia’s nemesis in the Middle East. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. This is a fairly recent development and has further prophetic implications because other Arab countries tend to follow the Saudi’s lead. Mohammed Bin Salman has that much political and financial muscle with most of his Arab brethren. All of this on-top of the pending ‘deal of the century’ by Donald Trump to offer or create an ‘agreement’ (covenant) of ‘peace and safety’ or ‘peace and security’ between Israel and the Palestinians. The so-called ‘two state solution’. Jared Kushner, Trump’s creative genius behind crafting the plan has routinely met with and conferred with Mohammed Bin Salman during the construction of this ‘peace’ plan. Presumably, whatever peace plan is unveiled and agreed upon between the parties will have to gain wider acceptance in the region by means of a ‘confirmation’ or verification that everyone in the region will abide by the covenant or agreement. Perhaps it will be up to the MBS and Saudi Arabia to police and ensure that the plan will be enforced and actively implemented by all those concerned. The ‘Big Brother’ in the region will make sure everyone toes the line and doesn’t cross the agreement. Who in the region might have the ‘political weight’ or strength to solidly ‘confirm’ the ‘covenant of peace and security’ for Israel? Mohammed Bin Salman. End of note.

Blog note 2. If you have followed the world wide reaction to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, most world leaders are tip-toeing around doing anything constructive against Saudi Arabia and Mohammed Bin Salman. Excuses have ranged from protecting arms deals, to keep the oil flowing, to maintain ‘stability’ in the Middle East (keep the status quo), to keep the allegiance and alliance together against Iran and so forth. There are higher geo-political issues at stake than severing political, military and financial relationships with Saudi Arabia and MBS because the Saudi’s killed a dissenter. MBS will come out of this relatively unscathed. Already, there are scapegoats and fall-guys. Nothing new here. No one wants to touch Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) for all these reasons and more. Oh, by the way, follow the BIG-BIG-BIG money… The recent investment initiative held in Saudi Arabia still drew some of the world’s biggest money kingpins from Japan and Europe. Even with some invited attendees sitting out the conference because of the Khashoggi killing, Saudi Arabia still received commitments of an additional $50 Billion investment funds. This is on TOP of a $2 Trillion sovereign investment fund that MBS has set up to fund his ‘vision 2030’ agenda and NEOM, a $500 Billion Babylon/high-tech oasis in Saudi Arabia that is planned to be 26,500-square km (10,230-square mile) business and industrial zone that will sit on the intersection of three countries, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt and is on both the Red Sea and Sea of Aqaba.  It will be 17X the size of London and 22X the size of New York. All of these are the Great Convergence of Signs. End of note.

The work of Allah (not the Christian God): Wanted, Executioner Who is an Islamic Family Man, Willing to Train Sons in Execution and Amputation. Work Location, Saudi Arabia

Decent pay, flexible hours, good benefits package – but being Saudi Arabia’s state executioner does have its down side, as Muhammad Saad al-Beshi tells Mahmoud Ahmed

Mahmoud Ahmed. Fri 6 Jun 2003 13.30 EDTFirst published on Fri 6 Jun 2003 13.30 EDT. The Guardian.

Muhammad Saad al-Beshi beheads up to seven people a day. “It doesn’t matter to me: Two, four, 10 – as long as I’m doing God’s (Allah) will, it doesn’t matter how many people I execute,” says Saudi Arabia’s leading executioner. Al-Beshi began his career at a prison in Taif, where his job was to handcuff and blindfold the prisoners before their execution. “Because of this background, I developed a desire to be an executioner,” he says. When a position became vacant, he applied and was accepted immediately.

His first job was in 1998 in Jeddah. “The criminal was tied and blindfolded. With one stroke of the sword I severed his head. It rolled metres away.” Of course he was nervous, he says – there were a lot of people watching, after all – but now stage fright is a thing of the past. He says he is calm at work because he is doing God’s work. “But there are many people who faint when they witness an execution. I don’t know why they come and watch if they don’t have the stomach for it. Me? I sleep very well.”

Does he think people are afraid of him? “In this country we have a society that understands God’s law,” he says. “No one is afraid of me. I have a lot of relatives, and many friends at the mosque, and I live a normal life like everyone else. There are no drawbacks for my social life.”

Before an execution, none the less, he will visit the family of the victim of the criminal to obtain forgiveness for the man about to die. “I always have that hope, until the very last minute, and I pray to God to give the criminal a new lease of life. I always keep that hope alive.”

Al-Beshi will not reveal how much he gets paid per execution, as this is a confidential agreement with the government. But he insists that the reward is not important. “I am very proud to do God’s work,” he says.

However, he does reveal that a sword costs something in the region of 20,000 Saudi riyals (£3,300). “It’s a gift from the government. I look after it and sharpen it once in a while, and I make sure to clean it of bloodstains. It’s very sharp. People are amazed how fast it can separate the head from the body.”

By the time the victims reach the execution square, they have surrendered themselves to death, he says, though they may hope to be forgiven at the last minute. Indeed, the only conversation that takes place is when he tells the prisoner to say the Shahada, their covenant with Allah. “Their hearts and minds are taken up with reciting the Shahada. When they get to the execution square, their strength drains away. Then I read the execution order, and at a signal I cut the prisoner’s head off.”

He has executed a number of women without hesitation. “Despite the fact that I hate violence against women, when it comes to God’s will, I have to carry it out.”

There is no great difference between the execution of men and women, except that the women wear hijab, and no one is allowed near them except Al-Beshi when the time for execution comes. When executing women, he has a choice of weapon. “It depends what they ask me to use. Sometimes they ask me to use a sword and sometimes a gun. But most of the time I use the sword,” he says.

As an experienced executioner, 42-year-old Al-Beshi is entrusted with the task of training the young. “I successfully trained my son Musaed, 22, as an executioner and he was approved and chosen,” he says proudly. Training focuses on the way to hold the sword and where to hit, and consists mostly of the trainee observing the executioner at work.

But an executioner’s work is not all killing; sometimes it can simply be an amputation. “I use a special sharp knife instead of a sword,” he explains. “When I cut off a hand, I cut it from the joint. If it is a leg, the authorities specify where it is to be taken off, so I follow that.”

Al-Beshi describes himself as a family man. He was married when he became an executioner, and his wife did not object to his choice of profession. “She only asked me to think carefully before committing myself,” he recalls. “But I don’t think she’s afraid of me. I deal with my family with kindness and love. They aren’t afraid when I come back from an execution. Sometimes they help me clean my sword.”

A father of seven, he is a grandfather already. “My daughter has a son called Haza, and he’s my pride and joy,” he says. “Then there are my sons. The oldest one is Saad, and of course there is Musaed, who will be the next executioner.”