Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the UK, Prince Khalid bin Bandar, has stated that the kingdom will not establish normal relations with Israel until there is a resolution to the Palestinian issue, which includes the creation of a Palestinian state.
In an interview with Times Radio, Prince Khalid explained, “Saudi Arabia is a country that engages with everyone, whether we like it or not. We believe engagement is the way to move things forward, and so we are happy to continuously engage in processes with anyone, but we do have some red lines, and for us to end the last 75 years of pain and suffering caused by one problem has to include a Palestinian state.”
When asked whether such a resolution is realistic, given some of the statements by Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and members of his government, the Saudi Ambassador responded, “I mean, it’s difficult, otherwise, we’d have been there. We would have found the solution. But let’s not forget, this plot of land has been fought over consistently for 6,000 years. It is not an easy thing to find, whether it’s during the Crusades, before every civilization on earth, certainly in the three continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe has fought over the same plot of land. I can’t think of anywhere that’s had that much done to it.”
He continued, “So it isn’t easy, but good things are never easy. And anyone who is objecting to what almost the whole world sees as the solution cannot be right. So, you know, again, that’s why I’m not optimistic, because we have a lot of problems in the way.”
Prince Khalid emphasized, “there’s no other solution” besides a two-state solution, but he also noted, “We also have to remember, there’s another side, we have to find a solution that fits the Israelis. That adds a level of complication, particularly with the current government in Israel, but I think we have to address, when someone is struggling through emotion and trauma and difficulty, which both the Israelis and the Palestinians have been for the last year, you have to hold them, you have to be kind to them, you have to be soft with them, but you also have to be very straight, and we have to be more straight with the Israelis and say, look, this is the only option.”
In recent months, Saudi Arabia has taken a more critical stance toward Israel, especially after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which put a halt to efforts to normalize relations. Following the massacre, Saudi Arabia suspended US-backed normalization plans with Israel.
In September, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated that the establishment of an “independent Palestinian state” is crucial for normalization. He later referred to Israel’s military actions in Gaza as “genocide.”
In a recent interview, former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his belief in the possibility of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but emphasized that the Saudis have not wavered in their position that any such agreement must include a Palestinian state.
{Matzav.com}