Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat says it won’t recognise Israel without path to Palestinian state

Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s remarks are at odds with Israeli PM Netanyahu, who has rejected Palestinian statehood and described plans for open-ended military control over Gaza

Before the October 7 Hamas attack that triggered the war, the US had been trying to broker a landmark agreement in which Saudi Arabia would normalise relations with Israel

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Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud arrives on stage during a session of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, on January 16. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:12pm, 22 Jan 2024

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister says the kingdom will not normalise relations with Israel or contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction without a credible pathway to a Palestinian state.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s remarks in an interview with CNN broadcast late on Sunday were some of the most direct yet from Saudi officials. It puts them at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has rejected Palestinian statehood and described plans for open-ended military control over Gaza.

The dispute over Gaza’s future – coming as the war still rages with no end in sight – pits the United States and its Arab allies against Israel and poses a major obstacle to any plans for post-war governance or reconstruction in Gaza.

Before the October 7 Hamas attack that triggered the war, the US had been trying to broker a landmark agreement in which Saudi Arabia would normalise relations with Israel in exchange for US security guarantees, aid in establishing a civilian nuclear programme in the kingdom, and progress toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli troops are seen near the border with Gaza Strip, in southern Israel. Photo: Xinhua

In September, Netanyahu had said Israel was “at the cusp” of such a deal, which he said would transform the Middle East.