Saudi Arabia slams Netanyahu’s suggestion it should host Palestinian state

Saudi Arabia strongly condemns the suggestion made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to establish a Palestinian state on Saudi territory. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that Netanyahu's move is aimed at diverting attention from Israel's ongoing "crimes" in the Gaza Strip, which include "ethnic cleansing." This condemnation underscores the deep concern within Saudi Arabia regarding the plight of Palestinians.

In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the Palestinian people have rights to their land, and they are not invaders or immigrants who can be arbitrarily expelled by the brutal Israeli occupiers. The statement reiterated Saudi Arabia's support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and condemned any attempts to alter this right. This stance reflects Saudi Arabia's long-standing commitment to a just resolution for the Palestinian cause.

The incident originated from Netanyahu's response during an interview with Israel's Channel 14, when a reporter misspoke and said "Saudi state" instead of "Palestinian state." Netanyahu stated, "Saudi Arabia can establish a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land there." The interviewer then stated that this was an idea worth exploring. This statement quickly sparked strong opposition from Arab countries, including Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq, as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

GCC Secretary-General Jassim Muhammad Al-Budaiwi stated, "These dangerous and irresponsible remarks confirm the Israeli occupation's disregard for international law, United Nations laws and treaties, and national sovereignty." The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its gratitude to "brotherly countries" for condemning Netanyahu's remarks. Previously, a proposal by former U.S. President Donald Trump to have the U.S. "take over" and "own" Gaza, relocating Palestinians elsewhere, was also strongly condemned by Arab leaders, with the proposal being considered ethnic cleansing.

Furthermore, Trump had also claimed that Saudi Arabia would not make the establishment of a Palestinian state a prerequisite for normalizing relations with Israel, but Riyadh has repeatedly denied this claim. Israel's war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 61,700 Palestinians, including approximately 18,000 children, and has destroyed much of the region's infrastructure. More than 14,000 others are missing and presumed dead. On October 7, Hamas's attack on Israel resulted in 1,139 deaths and the abduction of more than 250 hostages, dozens of whom are believed to remain in the region.