Saudi Arabia has unequivocally reiterated that normalisation
with Israel is impossible unless a fully sovereign Palestinian state is
established and the war in Gaza ends. This position, stated by Foreign Minister
Prince Faisal bin Farhan, rebuffs claims from both US and Israeli leadership
that Riyadh was ready to pursue ties without Palestinian statehood.
Saudi Arabia’s Rejection of Normalisation: What Is the Kingdom’s Official Position?
Saudi Arabia has taken a firm, public stance against the
prospect of normalising ties with Israel prior to the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state. As reported by Vugar Khalilov of Caliber.Az,
this position was made explicit by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan
during a joint press conference with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot
at the United Nations, following a high-level international conference
co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France in New York:
“For the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, normalisation with Israel can only come through the establishment of a Palestinian state,” stated Prince Faisal, highlighting the centrality of Palestinian self-determination to lasting regional peace. He added, “That position remains the same, and it is based on a strong conviction that only through the establishment of a Palestinian state and only through addressing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination can we have sustainable peace and real integration in the region”.
This was further echoed by Anadolu Ajansi and Bernama, with Prince Faisal emphasising at the New York briefing that
“recognition is very much tied to the establishment of the Palestinian state”.
How Have Saudi Leaders Responded to US and Israeli Statements?
In direct response to US President Donald Trump’s public claim
that Saudi Arabia had dropped its requirement for a Palestinian state, the
Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement firmly denying the
assertion.
As covered by Anadolu Agency, the Ministry declared:
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s position on the establishment of a Palestinian state is firm and unwavering,” explicitly rejecting Trump’s suggestion during his White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Ministry cited Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s remarks before the Shura Council on 18 September 2024, as well as at the Arab-Islamic Summit on 11 November 2024, where he reaffirmed the demand for a Palestinian state on 1967 borders and an end to occupation of Palestinian territories.
Saudi Arabia’s stance, the statement continued,
“is non-negotiable and not subject to compromises,”
underscoring that no lasting or
just peace is possible without the realisation of Palestinian rights under
international law.
Is the War in Gaza a Barrier to Normalisation?
Prince Faisal, as reported by Caliber.Az and Anadolu Agency,
has repeatedly cited the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as a critical
obstacle. At the United Nations, he explained:
“There is no credibility to have a conversation about normalisation with constant death and suffering and destruction in Gaza,” he argued, highlighting famine-like conditions in the besieged enclave.
Talks
“can only open first if the conflict in Gaza ends and if the suffering of the people of Gaza is alleviated,”
Prince Faisal continued.
“Because there's no reason, even, or no credibility, to have a conversation about normalisation with constant death and suffering and destruction in Gaza”.
The urgency of alleviating Gaza’s crisis has also inspired
international actors—including US, UK, and EU—to discuss coordinated food aid,
but, as noted by Vugar Khalilov of Caliber.Az, Trump notably refused to adopt a
clear stance on Palestinian statehood.
What Has Been the Reaction Among Other International Stakeholders?
French President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to formally recognise a Palestinian state in September aims to increase diplomatic and political pressure on Israel. Atalayar’s coverage of the New York conference notes that France and Saudi Arabia are seeking to
“revive the peace process in the Palestinian–Israeli conflict,”
with the war in Gaza and calls for sanctions against Israel for alleged war crimes remaining front and centre.
How Do Other Regional Powers View the Issue?
As reported in The Cairo Review, Saudi Arabia’s position aligns with the Arab Peace Initiative (API), first presented in 2002, insisting on a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital as a precondition for normalisation. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have championed this principle, with the latter reiterating at the Shura Council that Saudi Arabia
“would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital”.
What Is the Current Status of Saudi–Israeli Talks?
Saudi officials have paused even tentative talks on normalisation since the continuation and escalation of conflict in Gaza, hardening their rhetoric against any agreement without substantial progress towards an independent Palestine.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, the Saudi
statement on 5 February 2025 restated:
“Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that”.
Atalayar and Bernama reinforce that Riyadh’s commitment to the two-state solution
“can open the conversation about normalisation,”
but
only once a genuine process is underway.
What Is the Kingdom’s Link to Previous Arab–Israeli Normalisation Deals?
Unlike the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, which normalised relations with Israel as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, Saudi Arabia has steadfastly conditioned its involvement on the creation of a Palestinian state. This red line was highlighted by Anadolu Ajansi and Bernama at the New York press briefing, making clear that
“normalisation with Israel cannot be discussed while Israel’s genocide continues in Gaza”.
What Do Human Rights Groups Say?
Some international human rights organisations, such as Human
Rights Watch, have called for sanctions against Israeli officials to pressure
an end to what they describe as a “genocide” in Gaza. As quoted by Atalayar,
Bruno Stagno of HRW has warned:
“[C]ontinuing to talk about platitudes about the two-state solution and the peace process will not help achieve the conference's objectives or stop the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza”.
Where Does the Path to Peace Stand?
All major statements from Saudi dignitaries and ministries,
as attributed to their respective media outlets and authors, reinforce one
conclusion: Riyadh remains unequivocal in linking normalisation with Israel to
the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state, with the end of hostilities in
Gaza as a non-negotiable condition. No matter the diplomatic overtures made by
the United States or shifting rhetoric from Tel Aviv, the Saudi position is
“firm and unwavering”—a message now publicly reiterated at the United Nations,
in the Arab League, and to audiences worldwide.