No ties with Israel without recognition of Palestinian State – Saudi Crown Prince tells top US diplomat
Mohammed bin Salman Photographer: Money Sharma/AFP/Getty Images
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reaffirmed his steadfastness in demanding the establishment of a Palestinian state as a prerequisite for normalizing ties with Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed.
He called this the cornerstone for lasting peace in the Middle East and critical to ensuring Israel’s security.
Blinken, in an interview with Foreign Affairs, said that achieving calm in Gaza is a necessary first step. “And, of course, the key to that is the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia,” he noted, expressing optimism about the incoming Trump administration facilitating such a deal.
However, he stressed that “we also need a credible pathway to a Palestinian state.”
Saudi Arabia has consistently insisted on a state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Recent reports suggesting Riyadh might ease its demands have been contradicted by their firm stance.
The ongoing Gaza conflict, which has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid, further underscores the urgency of a resolution.
Blinken acknowledged heightened regional sentiments, particularly among the younger Saudi population, noting their strong reaction to the Gaza crisis.
He highlighted that while Israelis remain resistant to statehood discussions post-Hamas attacks, a “time-bound and conditions-based pathway” to Palestinian self-determination is necessary.
“Palestinians have to know that there is going to be the realization of a state… Israelis have to know that that can only come about if certain conditions are met that really assure Israel’s security,” Blinken concluded.
