No Normalisation With Israel Unless A Palestinian State: Saudi Arabia

Making its stand clear to Israel, Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat Faisal Bin Farhan said that the kingdom will not normalise the relationship with Israel if there is no credible pathway for a Palestinian state. In an interview with CNN on Sunday, the diplomats also made it clear that it will not contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction without a free Palestinian state.

However, amid the aggression in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had rejected the proposal of two-state solution, expressing his disagreement with Palestinian statehood, and planning a long-term military control of Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu is also facing sharp backlash and protest over his inability to bring back the hostages from Gaza.

The plan of Israel to hold control of Gaza makes its biggest backer – the US in dismay. The US has taken a stand against Israel’s plan of post-war governance in Gaza. It has been trying to normalise the relationship between the Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia and Israel, but the latest Israeli offensive in Gaza, triggered by the Hamas attack in the last October has resulted counterproductive to america”s efforts.

With the Saudi diplomat’s affirmation that there will not be a normalisation of the relationship with Israel unless a full and credible pathway to the Palestinian state, the US is being forced to pressure Israel towards the actualisation of the two-state solution outlined by the United Nations.

Palestinians want a state that include Gaza, Israeli-occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem. However, as Israeli settlement grows across these occupied regions, the problem would only exacerbate with possible unending conflicts in West Asia if left unresolved.