The Prime Minister's Office denied a report Tuesday evening that a breakthrough has been reached in efforts to obtain a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia after Israel agreed to declaration that it is committed to enable "a path toward a Palestinian state."
"The report about an Israeli commitment to allow 'a path toward a Palestinian state' is absolutely false," the PMO stated. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acted, and is acting, against the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger the security of Israel."
Haim Levinson reported in Haaretz that Riyadh had softened its demand that any normalization agreement include the creation of a Palestinian state to a demand for a declaration.
According to the report, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has no interest himself in recognizing a Palestinian state, but rather wants to show progress on the issue in order to appease public opinion in his country.