Netanyahu tells Saudis to create Palestinian state on their land

His remark was in response to a question regarding Saudi Arabia’s stated precondition for normalizing ties with Israel—namely, a framework for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a Channel 14 interview on Thursday that Saudi Arabia has enough land to establish a Palestinian state within its borders.

His remark was in response to a question regarding Saudi Arabia’s stated precondition for normalizing ties with Israel—namely, a framework for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu responded,”The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have plenty of land over there.”

Netanyahu, who has long opposed a two-state solution for security reasons, stated that he “would not make an agreement that would endanger the State of Israel.”

He added, “Certainly not a Palestinian state. After October 7? Are you aware of what happened? There was a Palestinian state—it was called Gaza. Under Hamas rule, Gaza functioned as a Palestinian state, and the result was the worst massacre since the Holocaust.”

The interview took place after a joint press conference featuring Netanyahu and then-US President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C.

During the conference, as the two leaders discussed the possibility of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, Netanyahu remarked, “I think normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia is not only feasible—I think it’s going to happen.”

Shortly after the press conference, the Saudi foreign ministry stated that it would not negotiate normalization without a clear framework for a Palestinian state.

Last May, after the governments of Spain, Norway, and Ireland unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state, Netanyahu condemned the move, calling the two-state proposal a “reward for terrorism.”

“The intention of several European countries to recognize a Palestinian state is a reward for terrorism,” Netanyahu said.

“Eighty percent of the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria support the terrible massacre of October 7. This evil cannot be given a state.”

“This would be a terrorist state. It would attempt to repeat the October 7 massacre repeatedly; we will not allow this.”

“Rewarding terrorism will not bring peace, nor will it stop us from defeating Hamas.”

Netanyahu’s comments echoed a tweet from Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz (Likud), who stated, “Today’s decision sends a message to the Palestinians and the world: Terrorism pays.”