Saudi Arabia has rejected comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the displacement of Palestinians from their land, according to a statement from the Saudi foreign ministry on Sunday, reported Reuters. The controversy arose after Netanyahu appeared to joke during an interview on pro-Netanyahu Channel 14. The interviewer mistakenly referred to a “Saudi state” instead of a “Palestinian state,” prompting Netanyahu to respond light-heartedly before the interviewer corrected himself. Despite the seemingly casual nature of the remark, it sparked significant backlash. While Saudi Arabia’s statement mentioned Netanyahu by name, it did not specifically address the suggestion about establishing a Palestinian state on Saudi land. However, the kingdom made its position clear, stating its “categorical rejection” of such remarks. “This occupying extremist mindset does not comprehend what the Palestinian territory means for the brotherly people of Palestine and its conscientious, historical, and legal association with that land,” the Saudi foreign ministry said, news agency Reuters reported. Other Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, also condemned the comments. Cairo described the idea as a “direct infringement of Saudi sovereignty,” while Riyadh expressed appreciation for the support of its “brotherly” states in opposing Netanyahu’s remarks. The situation comes amid heightened tensions following a proposal from former US President Donald Trump, who suggested that the US could “take over the Gaza Strip” and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East” by relocating Palestinians elsewhere. This proposal, announced during a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, was met with widespread condemnation from Arab countries. Trump also claimed that Saudi Arabia was not insisting on the creation of a Palestinian state as a condition for normalising ties with Israel. Riyadh quickly dismissed this, reaffirming its stance that it would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without the formation of an independent Palestinian state. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in devastating losses. According to Gaza authorities, more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led gunmen, which left around 1,200 Israelis dead and over 250 taken hostage, based on Israeli reports. (with inputs from Reuters)
