Recently, HNGN reported that Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog were in agreement on the need for the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
However, Saudi Arabia believes that it depends on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long been vehement about not allowing an "enemy" state at Israel's southern border.
Recently, Prince bin Farhan appeared on CNN stating that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would not normalize ties with Israel nor contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza without a clear path to Palestinian statehood. Netanyahu, who faces pressure over the Israeli hostages that remain in Hamas' hands, has described plans for an open-ended military occupation of Gaza.
The Israeli government and the United States, the country's closest ally, differ on this subject. In September there were reports that the Saudis and Israel were in talks to broker an agreement that would normalize relations between the two countries in exchange for security guarantees from the United States and help in building a nuclear energy program.
Netanyahu even stated the two countries were on the cusp of such a deal. However, less than one month later, the Hamas attack on southern Israel These talks are currently in limbo due largely due to events that occurred on Oct 7.
"That's the only way we're going to get a benefit," Prince Faisal replied. "So, yes."
"As long as we're able to find a pathway to a solution ... then we can talk about anything," he said. "But if we are just resetting to the status quo before Oct. 7, in a way that sets us up for another round of this, as we have seen in the past, we're not interested in that conversation."
Proponents of a Palestinian state seek to include Gaza, West and Bank, and East Jerusalem in any state. However, these are territories that were captured by Israel during the war in 1967, also called the Six-Day War. Israel views Jerusalem as its capital, not Tel Aviv.
The Israelis also believe the city, as well as the West Bank, are the biblical heartland of the Jewish people. Foreign ministers of the European Union believe the creation of a Palestinian state is the only way to achieve peace and expressed concern over Netanyahu's inability to budge on this issue.
