Netanyahu suggests Saudi Arabia should provide land to Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sparked a fresh wave of controversy by suggesting that Palestinians could establish their state in Saudi Arabia, rather than within their historical homeland.

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 on February 6, 2025, Netanyahu proposed that “The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there.”

His remarks are seen as part of a broader rejection of the Palestinian right to self-determination, and they come amid an increasingly fraught diplomatic situation between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu’s comments follow a year of attempts at normalising relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, an initiative that seemed close to fruition in 2024, according to US officials.

However, Saudi Arabia has made it clear that any formal relations with Israel would depend on a clear path to Palestinian statehood.

This stance has led to tensions, with Netanyahu on Thursday vehemently rejecting the idea of a Palestinian state, calling it a “security threat to Israel.” He added, “Especially not a Palestinian state... after October 7? Do you know what that is? There was a Palestinian state, it was called Gaza. Gaza, led by Hamas, was a Palestinian state, and look what we got.”

These remarks come as Netanyahu is on an official visit to the United States, where he held a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump.

During the event, Trump unveiled a controversial plan to expel Palestinians from Gaza, proposing to turn the region into the "Riviera of the Mediterranean" under US control.

Netanyahu, in turn, expressed optimism about peace with Saudi Arabia, despite their divergence on the Palestinian issue, stating, “It is not only feasible, I think it's going to happen.”

The press conference was followed by a statement from Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry, reaffirming the kingdom’s commitment to establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The statement emphasised that Saudi Arabia would not pursue diplomatic relations with Israel without a clear path to Palestinian statehood.