Palestinians can move to Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu suggests
In his most recent dismissal of a Palestinian state, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that Palestinians should establish a state in Saudi Arabia, rather than in their homeland, Middle East Eye reported on February 7th.
“The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there,” Netanyahu said during an interview with Israel’s Channel 14.
The comment comes amid a deteriorating chance of normalising relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, more than a year after US officials indicated that an agreement between the two countries was imminent.
Saudi Arabia has insisted that this normalisation could happen on the condition of the creation of a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu has strongly rejected.
“Especially not a Palestinian state,” Netanyahu said. “After October 7? Do you know what that is? There was a Palestinian state, it was called Gaza. Gaza, led by Hamas, was a Palestinian state and look what we got,” Netanyahu said in an interview during his official visit to the United States.
This followed a joint press conference with Donald Trump, in which the US President announced his plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza and take over the strip.
“His Royal Highness emphasised that Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” the statement from Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said. The statement also said that the Kingdom’s view on Palestinian statehood was “firm and unwavering.”
Middle East Eye
