Saudi Arabia has sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to establish a Palestinian state on Saudi Arabian soil, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday. The Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned the suggestion, accusing Netanyahu of trying to distract from Israel’s ongoing actions in Gaza, which it described as “ethnic cleansing.”
In a statement, the ministry reaffirmed its appreciation for the strong condemnation from Arab nations regarding Netanyahu’s comments. It emphasized the importance of the Palestinian issue to both Arab and Muslim countries, as well as their collective rejection of any plans to displace the Palestinian people from their land.
Netanyahu made the controversial remarks during an interview on an Israeli media channel on Thursday. When the interviewer mistakenly referred to a “Saudi state” instead of a “Palestinian state,” Netanyahu responded, saying, “The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there.” The interviewer suggested it was an idea worth considering, a comment that sparked outrage across the Arab world.
Countries including Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq, along with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), swiftly condemned Netanyahu’s remarks. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, GCC Secretary-General, denounced the statements as “dangerous and irresponsible,” accusing Israel of undermining international laws and treaties, as well as the sovereignty of other nations.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry also expressed gratitude toward the “brotherly countries” that voiced their disapproval of Netanyahu’s comments.
In a related context, several world leaders previously condemned US President Donald Trump’s statement about “taking over” Gaza. Trump also claimed that Saudi Arabia would not require a Palestinian state as a condition for normalizing relations with Israel, a claim Saudi Arabia has consistently denied.
The ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict has led to significant loss of life, with at least 61,700 Palestinians, including around 18,000 children, reported dead. Over 14,000 people remain missing, presumed dead, according to Al Jazeera.
