Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has stated that Saudi Arabia will not recognise Israel unless a Palestinian state is established. His remarks came during a speech, where he reiterated the kingdom’s commitment to the Palestinian cause.
“We renew the kingdom’s rejection and strong condemnation of the crimes of the Israeli occupation authority against the Palestinian people,” said the Crown Prince, widely known as MBS. He added, “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.”
This stance contrasts sharply with the current Israeli government, which has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a Palestinian state, particularly following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7. The Israeli government argues that any support for Palestinian statehood would be akin to rewarding terrorism.
Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, Saudi Arabia halted US-backed negotiations aimed at normalising ties with Israel, sources familiar with the matter revealed earlier this year. However, Riyadh has remained open to future talks, with Saudi officials publicly pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza while continuing to indicate that normalisation remains on their diplomatic agenda.
MBS had mentioned, just weeks before the conflict, that discussions between Saudi Arabia and Israel were progressing. Yet, after hostilities erupted, those talks were effectively put on hold.
The comments were made during the Crown Prince’s annual address to the advisory Shura Council, which he delivered on behalf of King Salman. The Shura Council members also took their oaths of office before MBS prior to his speech.