Saudi Arabia says Palestine key to normalizing ties with Israel
Saudi Arabia's position remains unchanged (Photo: Getty Images)
Saudi Arabia may normalize its relations with Israel, but only after the establishment of a Palestinian state, states Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan.
“For the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, normalization with Israel can only come through the establishment of a Palestinian state,” Farhan said.
He added that this position remains unchanged and is based on the firm belief that only through the creation of a Palestinian state and the realization of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people can we achieve lasting peace and genuine integration in the region.
Bloomberg notes that US President Donald Trump is pushing for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords.
These accords are a series of agreements on the normalization of relations between Arab states and Israel, brokered by Trump’s first administration.
For its part, Saudi Arabia has repeatedly reaffirmed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s condition that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state must be part of any normalization deal.
As the outlet explains, the current humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is a major obstacle to reaching such an agreement, as hunger grips the devastated Palestinian enclave.
“There is no credibility to have a conversation about normalization with constant death and suffering and destruction in Gaza,” bin Farhan stated.
Pressure on Israel and Trump's Statements on Gaza
Bloomberg highlighted that the international community is increasing pressure on Western governments to urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step up efforts to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, on July 28, during a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump stated that the US would launch new efforts to provide food aid to the Gaza Strip in order to combat hunger.
He specified that the initiative would be carried out in cooperation with other governments and organizations, including the UK and the EU.
Recognition of Palestine
Trump, who earlier this year proposed that the US take control of Gaza, stated that he is not going to take any position on the issue of Palestinian statehood, but said he would not oppose it if UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer did so.
For his part, Starmer stated that the question is not whether the UK will recognize Palestine as a state, but when - emphasizing that such recognition must be part of a broader path to peace.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced that France will recognize Palestine as a state in September this year. He said the formal statement will be delivered from the podium of the UN General Assembly.
