Saudi Arabia made clear to the United States that it would not normalize or establish diplomatic relations with Israel until an independent Palestinian state is recognized, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to a press release issued by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. It also stated that “Israeli aggression” against Gaza must stop, and that Israel must withdraw its forces from the territory.
The statement walked back remarks made earlier this week by spokesman for the United States National Security Council John Kirby, who had referenced ongoing discussions between the US and Saudi Arabia and had indicated Saudi Arabia and Israel’s desire to resume normalization talks.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is once again on a shuttle diplomacy visit to the region, has expressed hope about the enormous advantages of rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
In its official statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry urged the UN Security Council’s permanent members to accelerate the recognition of the Palestinian state, noting the importance of recognizing legitimate Palestinian rights and fostering a “comprehensive and just” peace.
In October 2023, with the escalation of hostilities between the resistance group Hamas and Israeli forces, Saudi Arabia halted US-backed plans to normalize relations with Israel.
Now four months later, at least 27,708 Palestinians have been confirmed as killed in Israel’s military campaign, with thousands more feared to be buried under the rubble, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. 66,978 are reported to have been wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7.