Palestinian statehood a ‘red-line’ for Saudi-Israel normalization deal, says Saudi prince

‘There is no other solution than the two-state solution,’ says Saudi prince and diplomat, insisting that any deal between Riyadh and Jerusalem must include Israel’s agreement to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

By World Israel News Staff

Palestinian statehood is a “red line” for Saudi Arabia’s acceptance of a deal normalizing relations with Israel, a senior member of the Saudi royal family said over the weekend.

Riyadh’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Prince Khalid bin Bandar, spoke with Times Radio in an interview aired on Sunday, discussing, among other things, the Trump administration’s efforts to expand the Abraham Accords and the possibility of achieving full diplomatic relations with Israel.

“We cannot have a normalization with Israel without a solution for the Palestinians. And the solution for the Palestinians is a state; it is very clear,” the ambassador said, when asked what it would take for Riyadh to join the Abraham Accords.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t have discussions. Saudi Arabia is a country that engages with everyone, whether we like it or not,” bin Bandar continued, emphasizing that Palestinian statehood is one of his country’s “red lines” for agreeing to normalize relations with Israel.

“We believe engagement is the way to move things forward, and so we are happy to continuously engage in processes with anyone, but we do have some red lines, and for us to end the last 75 years of pain and suffering caused by one problem has to include a Palestinian state.”

Bin Bandar said it would be “difficult” to secure a deal with the current Israeli government but that the obstacles were not insurmountable.

“I mean, it’s difficult, otherwise, we’d have been there. We would have found the solution. But let’s not forget, this plot of land has been fought over consistently for 6,000 years,” he said.

“It is not an easy thing to find, whether it’s during the Crusades, before every civilization on earth, certainly in the three continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe has fought over the same plot of land. I can’t think of anywhere that’s had that much done to it.”

The 47-year-old Saudi envoy said he was not optimistic regarding the prospects for a deal with Israel in the near future “because we have a lot of problems in the way,” while acknowledging the legitimate concerns of Israelis following the Hamas invasion of October 7, 2023.

“We also have to remember, there’s another side, we have to find a solution that fits the Israelis,” he said.

“That adds a level of complication, particularly with the current government in Israel, but I think we have to address, when someone is struggling through emotion and trauma and difficulty, which both the Israelis and the Palestinians have been for the last year, you have to hold them, you have to be kind to them, you have to be soft with them, but you also have to be very straight, and we have to be more straight with the Israelis and say, look, this is the only option.”