Prince Mohammed bin Salman has insisted that nothing can happen without an independent Palestinian state.
There can be no normalisation of relations between Riyadh and West Jerusalem without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced.
The prince previously said US-backed talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel were close to a solution before the Gaza conflict erupted last October.
“The Kingdom will not stop its tireless work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we affirm that the Kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” Bin Salman said this on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
He also condemned the “crimes of the Israeli occupation” against the Palestinian people.
According to two anonymous sources who spoke to Reuters, the “standardization” Improved relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel are seen as a prerequisite for Riyadh to secure a defence pact with Washington.
Bin Salman's announcement came just before the UN General Assembly voted on a resolution demanding an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.
Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, called the draft resolution “diplomatic terrorism” and criticized her for failing to denounce the October 7, 2023 attacks carried out by Hamas from Gaza. The US envoy, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, also spoke out against the resolution.
The resolution urged Israel to “to put an end without delay to their illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” Within a maximum period of twelve months, Palestinians must be compensated for damage caused by the occupation. It was approved with 124 votes in favour, 12 against and 43 abstentions.
Israel blamed the Hamas raid for the deaths of 1,200 people and said another 250 were taken hostage. According to the enclave's health ministry, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations since then, while more than 95,000 have been wounded.
