Saudi Arabia rejects Netanyahu's suggestion to create Palestinian state on Saudi land

Saudi Arabia has firmly rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks suggesting the establishment of a Palestinian state on Saudi territory.

In a statement issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry on February 8, the kingdom condemned Netanyahu's comments as inappropriate and not aligned with the historical and legal connection Palestinians have to their land, Caliber.Az reports via Western news sources.

The comments stemmed from an interaction on Channel 14, where Netanyahu jokingly responded to a misstatement by an interviewer who mentioned a "Saudi state" instead of a "Palestinian state."

Although the Saudi statement did not directly reference the specific remark about a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia, it made clear the kingdom's stance against any attempts to displace Palestinians.

Saudi Arabia was joined by Egypt and Jordan in condemning the suggestion, with Cairo labeling it a "direct infringement of Saudi sovereignty." The Saudi Foreign Ministry stressed the importance of protecting Palestinian territorial rights and reaffirmed its solidarity with "brotherly" nations in rejecting such proposals.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions over the fate of Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, where ongoing Israeli military actions have claimed thousands of lives. The Saudi government has repeatedly stated that it will not normalize relations with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established.

For the record, U.S. President Donald Trump recently suggested that the U.S. could "take over the Gaza Strip" and turn it into a "Riviera of the Middle East." His proposal has faced widespread criticism across Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, which firmly rejected any solution that disregards Palestinian statehood.

The ongoing Gaza conflict, exacerbated by attacks from Hamas on October 7, 2023, continues to cause immense suffering, with more than 47,000 Palestinians reported dead in the region, according to Gaza Health Ministry.

By Khagan Isayev