No Israel ties without independent Palestinian state: Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has informed the United States that it will not establish diplomatic ties with Israel until the recognition of an independent Palestinian state, according to a statement from the Saudi foreign ministry on Wednesday.
The official statement, released by the Saudi Press Agency, emphasized that diplomatic relations with Israel would only be considered once an independent Palestinian state is acknowledged, based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Additionally, the statement called for an end to Israeli "aggression" in Gaza and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the besieged territory.
The statement from Saudi Arabia was issued in response to comments by John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesman, who indicated on Tuesday that discussions regarding normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel were "ongoing." He mentioned receiving positive feedback from both sides about their willingness to continue these discussions.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken currently on a regional tour, visited Saudi Arabia earlier in the week before heading to Egypt, Qatar, and Israel. During his visit, Blinken pressed for a truce in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In Doha, he stated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had expressed a strong interest in pursuing normalization but emphasized the need for an end to the Gaza conflict and a clear, credible, and timebound path to establishing a Palestinian state for such normalization to occur.
.png "Advertisement")
