Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin SalmanReuters

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night reaffirmed its stance that normalization with Israel is conditioned on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The comment came after President Donald Trump replied “no” when asked by Arutz Sheva-Israel National News whether the Saudis are expecting a Palestinian state as a condition for normalization with Israel.

In a statement quoted by the Saudi Gazette, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that “the Kingdom's commitment to Palestinian statehood is deeply rooted and unshakable.”

“This firm stance was explicitly affirmed by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman during his address at the opening of the first year of the ninth session of the Shoura Council on September 18, 2024. In his speech, the Crown Prince made it clear that Saudi Arabia will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is established, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” it said.

The statement further highlighted that the Crown Prince reiterated this position at the Arab-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh on November 11, 2024.

“During the summit, he emphasized the urgent need to establish a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, end Israeli occupation, and mobilize the international community in support of Palestinian rights. He also called on more nations to recognize Palestine and underscored the significance of securing full United Nations membership for the Palestinian state, as reflected in UN General Assembly resolutions,” said the statement.

The Foreign Ministry stressed that “Saudi Arabia’s position on the Palestinian cause has been consistently communicated to both the previous and current US administrations. The Kingdom maintains that a just and lasting peace cannot be achieved without ensuring that the Palestinian people receive their full legitimate rights in accordance with international resolutions.”

“Saudi Arabia remains resolute in its efforts to support the Palestinian cause, working tirelessly to secure a comprehensive and just resolution that upholds Palestinian sovereignty and ensures lasting peace in the region,” it said.

Saudi Arabia has been more critical of Israel in recent months, after the two countries appeared to be on track towards normalization before Hamas’ attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. After the massacre, Saudi Arabia put the US-backed plans to normalize ties with Israel on ice.

In September, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasized that an "independent Palestinian state" was essential for normalization. In subsequent comments, he characterized Israel's military operation in Gaza as "genocide".

In an interview last month, then-US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he believes there is a path towards normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but added that the Saudis have not changed their stance that such a path must include a Palestinian state.