Saudi Arabia stands firm: No Israel ties without Palestinian statehood
Kingdom pushes back against Trump’s vision, reiterates long-standing stance.


Saudi Arabia reiterated today (Wednesday) that it will not normalize relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is established, pushing back against a claim by former U.S. President Donald Trump that Riyadh had dropped the requirement.
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry emphasized that the kingdom’s position remains “firm and unwavering,” following Trump’s remarks during his Tuesday meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The statement underscores Riyadh’s continued insistence that Palestinian statehood is a prerequisite for any diplomatic agreement with Israel.
Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that its stance towards the Palestinians is not negotiable.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reiterated the kingdom’s stance on normalization with Israel in “a clear and explicit manner” that leaves no room for interpretation under any circumstances, according to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
The issue of Palestinian displacement remains highly sensitive across the Arab world. The United States has spent months working to secure a historic normalization deal between Saudi Arabia—one of the most powerful Arab states—and Israel. However, Riyadh shelved the matter following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, as widespread anger over Israel’s military actions made progress impossible.
Trump has pushed for Saudi Arabia to follow the path of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which signed the Abraham Accords in 2020, becoming the first Arab nations in decades to establish formal ties with Israel. But unlike those Gulf states, Saudi Arabia holds unique geopolitical weight—as the Middle East’s most influential Muslim-majority nation and the world’s largest oil exporter, its recognition of Israel would be a game-changing diplomatic achievement.
Kikar Hashabbat contributed to this article.