Saudi Arabia's Stance on Israel Hinges on Palestinian State, Says Crown Prince

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that the kingdom would not recognize Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state. He condemned the Israeli occupation's crimes and affirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to an independent Palestinian state. Normalization talks with Israel were delayed following the 2023 conflict with Hamas.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia will not recognize Israel without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Crown Prince strongly condemned the "crimes of the Israeli occupation" against the Palestinian people.

Addressing the advisory Shura Council on behalf of his father, King Salman, the Crown Prince emphasized the kingdom's unwavering support for Palestinian statehood. Following the October 2023 conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, the kingdom paused U.S.-backed plans to normalize ties with Israel, according to sources familiar with Riyadh's diplomatic repositioning.

MbS, who had indicated that Saudi Arabia was nearing a normalization deal just weeks before the unrest, mentioned that the U.S.-sponsored negotiations would encounter delays, potentially impacting the kingdom's broader goal of securing a U.S. defense pact in return.

(With inputs from agencies.)