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The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday in response to remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an interview with Israel’s Channel 14. Netanyahu had stated: “The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there.”
The Saudi statement, despite its clarity and careful choice of words, which included precise and strong descriptions, intentionally refrained from granting Benjamin Netanyahu undue prominence. It did not commence with a direct response to him; rather, it began by expressing gratitude to “brotherly countries” for their “condemnation, disapproval and complete rejection” of Netanyahu’s remarks. Furthermore, it emphasized that “the Kingdom values the positions that emphasize the centrality of the Palestinian issue among Arab and Muslim nations.”
This introduction highlights the supportive stances that emerged from several Arab and Islamic countries, including those that have treaties with Israel, such as the UAE, Egypt and Jordan. Despite their diplomatic relations, these nations issued clear statements condemning the extreme Israeli remarks and expressing their rejection of any actions that threaten the security and stability of Saudi Arabia, as well as the resolution of the Palestinian issue.
The Saudi statement regarded Netanyahu’s remarks as an attempt “to divert attention from the continuous crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza,” characterizing these actions as “ethnic cleansing.”
Saudi Arabia is aware of the cunning policies employed by the Israeli prime minister, who is accused by his opponents within Israel of engaging in deceit and manipulation. Consequently, the Kingdom has chosen not to fulfill Netanyahu’s objectives, which aim to draw Saudi Arabia into trivial and pointless disputes. Thus, the Kingdom has declined to participate in verbal confrontations and has preferred to reaffirm its national principles regarding the Palestinian issue.
Returning to the beginning of the statement, Saudi Arabia’s expression of gratitude toward “brotherly nations” serves a dual purpose. It aims to foster a unified Arab public opinion regarding the rights of the Palestinian people, opposing their displacement from their homeland and emphasizing the importance of establishing an independent state. This Arab consensus is envisioned as the foundation for a broader Islamic stance, which would facilitate international support from influential capitals in the EU and other parts of the world.
Notably, Riyadh is spearheading ongoing efforts by leading the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, as announced by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan at the UN General Assembly last September. This initiative is in collaboration with Arab and Islamic countries, as well as the EU and Norway. The objective is to develop a “practical plan to achieve shared goals for the desired peace,” as stated by Prince Faisal, who affirmed that “we will exert our utmost efforts to establish a reliable and irreversible path toward a just and comprehensive peace.”
The Kingdom has declined to participate in verbal confrontations and has preferred to reaffirm its principles regarding the Palestinian issue
Hassan Al-Mustafa
This Saudi-international effort is one that the extremist Israeli government seeks to undermine, as it serves as a means of isolation that diminishes the impact of Israeli arguments and weakens its diplomatic strength in international forums. Notably, Tel Aviv cannot accuse Riyadh of supporting violence or terrorism, especially given the Arab Peace Initiative proposed by Saudi Arabia at the Arab League Summit in Beirut in 2002, which received backing from several international capitals. Nevertheless, Israel continues to reject this initiative to this day, insisting on the continuation of its occupation and the perpetration of genocide against the Palestinians.
The Saudi statement highlighted the flaws in Israel’s policies, asserting that “this extremist, occupying mentality does not understand what the Palestinian land means to the brotherly people of Palestine and their emotional, historical and legal ties to this land.” This indicates that the core issue lies in “extremism,” which, according to the statement, has “prevented Israel from accepting peace by refusing peaceful coexistence, rejecting the peace initiatives adopted by the Arab countries and systematically practicing injustice toward the Palestinian people for more than 75 years.”
Talking about the timeframe and systematic policies serves as a clear indication from Saudi Arabia that the primary reason for the stagnation of the peace process is not the Palestinians, but rather Israel’s extremism, which has provoked angry reactions due to its deprivation of their right to a dignified and secure life.
There is a fundamental message in the statement, which emphasizes that “lasting peace can only be achieved by returning to the logic of reason and accepting the principle of peaceful coexistence through the two-state solution.”
The term “logic of reason” here serves as a metaphor for diplomatic action, which implies a return to politics in its dialogical and communicative sense, distancing itself from violence and the use of brute force to impose realities on the ground.
The Saudi call for prioritizing “reason” is being met with increased obstinacy from Israel, which has been bolstered by the significant military and destructive outcomes it has achieved in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Additionally, the extensive political support for Israel, as exemplified by US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his administration’s intention to annex Gaza and relocate its inhabitants to Egypt, Jordan and other countries during its reconstruction, has taken the world by surprise.
This major development has invigorated those on the far right in Israel, propelling them further toward their aspirations of displacing Palestinians from Gaza and fully reoccupying the territory. Such a course of action would effectively terminate the prospect of a Palestinian state and, if pursued with determination, could lead to increased violence and chaos in the Middle East.
• Hassan Al-Mustafa is a Saudi writer and researcher interested in Islamic movements, the development of religious discourse and the relationship between the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Iran. X: @Halmustafa