Saudi Arabia insists Palestinian state must be recognised to restore ties with Israel

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reiterated that it would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel until an independent Palestinian state is realised.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King of Saudi Arabia, spoke during the inauguration of the ninth session of the Shura council.

Represented by Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince, the king said East Jerusalem must also be recognised as the capital of the Palestinian state.

“We reiterate Saudi Arabia’s firm rejection and strong condemnation of the Israeli occupation authority’s crimes against the Palestinian people, which flagrantly violate international and humanitarian law, adding to their long and bitter suffering,” a statement issued on Thursday quoted the king as saying.

“The kingdom will not cease its tireless efforts in pursuit of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we affirm that no diplomatic ties with Israel will be established until this is achieved.” 

Al Saud cited respect for the independence of countries and their values, adherence to principles of good neighbourliness, non-interference in internal affairs, and avoiding resorting to violence to resolve disputes as motivations for Saudi Arabia’s stance.

Saudi Arabia is keen to cooperate with countries in the international community to achieve this goal.

“The Kingdom also seeks to enhance regional and international security and peace by making efforts to reach political solutions to the crises in Yemen, Sudan, Libya, and others, and also supports solutions in international crises such as the Russian-Ukrainian crisis,” he added.

The king said safeguarding humanity and preserving its values depends on the collective pursuit of a better future through fruitful cooperation.

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia also cited the cessation of hostilities in the Gaza strip and the withdrawal of all Israeli occupation forces from the enclave as conditions for the restoration of ties with the Jewish nation.

The kingdom said it had communicated its “firm position” to the United States, Israel’s strongest ally, which has actively been engaged in a broad-based diplomatic effort to manage the conflict.