Saudi Arabia Will Not Recognize Israel Without Palestinian state, Crown Prince Says
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Amid Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reiterated that the kingdom would not recognize Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, the Times of Israel reports. The Crown Prince made his remarks during an annual speech to the advisory Shura Council on Wednesday (September 18).
Official arch-enemies since the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948, Saudi Arabia and Israel have unofficially and tentatively drawn closer in recent years due to the mutual threat posed to them by Iran. Moreover, the United States holds out to Saudi Arabia the prospect of a highly coveted security package for the kingdom should it normalize relations with Israel.
However, Saudi Arabia has contended that there must be an agreed path to a Palestinian state if it is to become the next Islamic country to join the Abraham Accords in normalizing diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
“We renew the kingdom’s rejection and strong condemnation of the crimes of the Israeli occupation authority against the Palestinian people,” the Crown Prince said Wednesday.
“The kingdom will not stop its tireless work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we affirm that the kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” the Crown Prince added.