Saudi Arabia said on Monday it would not establish relations with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state, thus refuting claims by US President Donald Trump that Riyadh does not demand that the Palestinians have their own state, Reuters reported.
In a surprise statement last night, Trump said that the United States would take control of the war-torn Gaza Strip and develop the territory economically after the Palestinians are displaced elsewhere.
Saudi Arabia rejects all attempts to displace Palestinians from their lands, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement today, adding that its position on this issue is non-negotiable.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed the country's position on "in a clear and unequivocal manner" and stressed that it would not allow for interpretations under any circumstances, the statement said.
Any proposal to relocate Palestinians is a highly sensitive issue for the Palestinians and Arab countries, Reuters noted.
When it comes to Saudi policy in the Middle East, the stakes are high for both Trump and Israel.
The United States has been making diplomatic efforts for months to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia - one of the most powerful and influential Arab countries - and Israel and to recognize the Jewish state. But the war in the Gaza Strip, which began in October 2023, has forced Riyadh to postpone the issue amid anger in the Arab world over the Israeli offensive.
Trump would like Saudi Arabia to follow countries such as the United Arab Emirates (a Middle Eastern trade and business hub) and Bahrain, which signed the so-called Abraham Accords in 2020 and normalized their relations with Israel. In doing so, they became the first Arab countries in a quarter of a century to break a long-standing taboo.
Establishing relations with Saudi Arabia would be of great benefit to Israel, as the country has enormous influence in the Middle East, Muslim countries and is the world's largest oil exporter, the agency notes.