Saudi Reaffirms No Normalization with Israel Without a Palestinian State

Riyadh, MINA – Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established and the war in Gaza comes to an end.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan made the statement during a joint press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, in New York, following a high-level international conference on implementing the two-state solution, co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France, Anadolu Agency reported.

“For the Kingdom, recognition is closely tied to the establishment of a Palestinian state,” Prince Faisal said when asked whether Saudi Arabia could resume engagement with the Abraham Accords in exchange for Palestinian statehood as a precondition for normalization with Israel.

In 2020, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco signed U.S.-brokered agreements to normalize ties with Israel.

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“We certainly hope that the clear consensus demonstrated today and expected tomorrow as well as the momentum toward the creation of a Palestinian state, can pave the way for discussions on normalization,” he added.

Prince Faisal stressed that normalization with Israel is not possible while Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues.

“Negotiations can only begin if the conflict in Gaza ends and the suffering of its people is alleviated. There is no justification, not even credibility, for discussing normalization amid the ongoing death, suffering, and destruction in Gaza,” he said.

“And only then can we speak about establishing a Palestinian state. Once that is achieved, then normalization can be discussed,” he added.

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Earlier, in his opening remarks at the conference, Prince Faisal welcomed recent comments by French President Emmanuel Macron, who pledged to officially recognize a Palestinian state.

“This reflects a serious international step toward fulfilling the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” he said.

The two-day conference, jointly organized by France and Saudi Arabia, focused on reviving peace talks and advancing the implementation of the two-state solution. [Nia]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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