Saudi Arabia condemns Netanyahu’s comments on displacing Palestinians
Scores of displaced Palestinians walk along a road in the Saftawi area of Jabalia, as they leave areas near Gaza City where they had taken refuge, toward the further northern part of the Gaza Strip, on Jan. 19, 2025 (AFP Photo)
Saudi Arabia on Sunday strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent comments suggesting that Palestinians should be displaced to the kingdom.
Details
- In an official statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry rejected Netanyahu’s remarks, calling them “extremist.”
- The statement emphasized that “the Palestinian people have a right to their land and are not intruders who can be expelled at will.”
- Saudi officials accused Israel of systematically oppressing Palestinians for over 75 years.
- “The proponents of these ideas are the same ones who have blocked peace,” the ministry said.
- Saudi Arabia reiterated its support for a two-state solution, stating, “The Palestinian people’s rights remain firm, and no one can take them away.”
Bigger picture
Netanyahu made the comments Thursday, dismissing the idea of Palestinian statehood and suggesting Saudi Arabia could instead host a Palestinian state.
The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
His remarks followed a controversial statement from U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested Washington could “take over” Gaza and redevelop it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Both proposals sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinian leaders, Arab nations, and Western allies, including Canada, France, Germany, and the U.K.
