Recent remarks by former Israeli Ambassador Dore Gold that Saudi Arabia funds terror activity against Israel are "lies and unsubstantiated accusations," Saudi Ambassador to the United States Bandar bin Sultan said.

Bin Sultan made the comments in a press statement over the weekend in response to Gold's testimony last Tuesday before the House International Relations Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia.

Gold told the subcommittee that more than 50 percent of Hamas funding comes from Saudi Arabia, and is increasing despite US President George W. Bush's call to the kingdom to halt aid to Palestinian terrorist groups.

"It should be known that Dore Gold is not an expert on Saudi society, faith or culture. He is simply hatred's scribe. He has opposed virtually every major peace initiative over the past two decades. Dore Gold has carried on a campaign of lies, and unsubstantiated accusations. His goal is to malign the Saudi government and drive a wedge between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Ironically, this is the very same objective shared by Osama bin Laden," bin Sultan said.

Dore Gold, who received his PhD in Saudi Arabia studies from Columbia University, told the Jerusalem Post Sunday that evidence linking Saudi Arabia to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror organizations was found in Palestinian headquarters in the West Bank last year.[...]

As to the accusation that Gold opposes virtually every major peace initiative, the former ambassador said, "I attended the Aqaba peace summit at the invitation of Prime Minister Sharon, but I don't remember seeing Prince Bandar there."