Saudi Arabia Rejects Israel Normalization Without Palestinian State

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan announced in New York that Saudi Arabia will not normalize diplomatic relations with Israel until the war in Gaza ends and an independent Palestinian state is established. Speaking at a United Nations summit and a joint press conference with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Prince Faisal stated that discussing relations while "genocide and suffering persist" lacks credibility.

Prince Faisal reaffirmed that addressing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination is the only path to sustainable peace and regional integration. He noted that this position aligns with a stance previously stated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The declaration serves as a rebuttal to speculation that Riyadh might accept security guarantees or arms deals as substitutes for Palestinian statehood.

While Prince Faisal expressed optimism that a growing global consensus on statehood could eventually reopen dialogue, the Kingdom maintains that the cessation of violence and the formal creation of a Palestinian state are non-negotiable prerequisites. Meanwhile, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to reject the two-state solution framework and has taken steps toward the formal annexation of parts of the West Bank.