World

Saudi Arabia rules out Israel ties without Palestinian state, Gaza Ceasefire

Published: 13:01, 29 July 2025

Saudi Arabia has said it will not normalize diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is established and Israel ends its military campaign in Gaza.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan made the comments on Monday at a joint press briefing with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in New York. The remarks came after a high-level conference on advancing a two-state solution, co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France.
“For the kingdom, recognition is very much tied to the establishment of the Palestinian state,” Prince Faisal told reporters when asked about possible Saudi participation in normalization efforts similar to the US-brokered Abraham Accords. Those 2020 agreements saw the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan establish formal ties with Israel.
He stressed that discussions on normalization could only begin once Israel halts its military operations in Gaza and allows humanitarian relief to flow unimpeded.
“There’s no credibility to a conversation about normalization with ongoing death, suffering and destruction in Gaza,” the Saudi minister said. “First, the war must end, and the suffering of the people of Gaza must be alleviated. Then we can talk about establishing a Palestinian state. Only after that can normalization be discussed.”
Prince Faisal welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent pledge to officially recognize a Palestinian state, expected to be announced during the UN General Assembly session in September. Macron’s position aligns with growing international pressure for a two-state solution as the Gaza conflict intensifies.
Currently, 149 of the United Nations’ 193 member states recognize Palestine, with more countries signaling their intent to do so since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023.