…Says no deal with Israel until a two-state structure is achieved
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has expressed vehement opposition to the plans by the United States to take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, a piece of land that has caused several wars between Israel and Palestine.
President Donald Trump had on Tuesday, said that the U.S. would “take over the Gaza Strip” and “own it,” suggesting that the Palestinian people should be resettled elsewhere.
Trump, whose comments came at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the Palestinians in Gaza “should not go through a process of rebuilding” and that they had “lived a miserable existence there.”
He said that rather than struggling to rebuild their destroyed cities, the Palestinians should “resettle permanently” in “nice homes” somewhere else.
But the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that coming to reality.
In a statement released today by the Saudi Embassy in Abuja, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia declared that its position on the establishment of a Palestinian state remains firm and unwavering.
It unequivocally rejected any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, land annexation, or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land.
The statement read in parts:
“His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister clearly and unequivocally reaffirmed this stance during his speech at the opening of the first session of the ninth term of the Shura Council on September 18, 2024. His Royal Highness emphasized that Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that.
“His Royal Highness also reiterated this firm position during the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh on November II,2024. He stressed the continuation of efforts to establish a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, demanding an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.
His Royal Highness also urged more peace-loving countries to recognize the State of Palestine and emphasized the importance of mobilizing the international community to support the Palestinian people’s rights, as expressed in United Nations General Assembly resolutions, recognizing Palestine’s eligibility for full UN membership.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also reaffirms its unequivocal rejection of any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, land annexation, or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land.
“The international community has a duty today to alleviate the severe humanitarian suffering endured by the Palestinian people, who will remain steadfast on their land and will not move from it.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emphasizes that this unwavering position is non-negotiable and not subject to compromises.
“Achieving lasting and just peace is impossible without the Palestinian people obtaining their legitimate rights in accordance with international resolutions, as has been previously clarified to both the former and current U.S. administrations.”
