Palestinians are owners of the land, not intruders: KSA
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Saudi Arabia reaffirms its strong rejection of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks about displacing the Palestinian people from their land.
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An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows Palestinians walking through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive, in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on January 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammad Abu Samra)
The Saudi Foreign Ministry on Sunday expressed its appreciation for the unified stance of Arab and Islamic nations in condemning and rejecting recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the displacement of Palestinians from their land.
In an official statement, the Ministry emphasized that these collective positions reaffirm the centrality of the Palestinian cause to Arab and Islamic countries.
It strongly condemned Netanyahu's statements, describing them as an attempt to deflect attention from the ongoing atrocities committed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza, including acts of ethnic cleansing targeting the Palestinian population.
The statement underscored that such rhetoric reflects an "extremist occupying mentality" that fails to grasp the deep historical, emotional, and legal connection of the Palestinian people to their land.
It also criticized the disregard for the Palestinian people’s inherent right to life and dignity, stressing that Palestinians are not "intruders or immigrants" to be expelled at the will of the Israeli occupation.
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The Ministry further highlighted how these attitudes perpetuate conflict by rejecting peaceful coexistence and undermining peace initiatives, noting the systematic injustices inflicted on Palestinians for over 75 years.
These actions, it stated, blatantly disregard justice, international law, and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, including the right of people to live in dignity on their land.
#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appreciates the condemnation, disapproval and total rejection announced by the brotherly countries towards what Benjamin Netanyahu stated regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land and the Kingdom values the… pic.twitter.com/ebj2sVHx4w
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) February 9, 2025
Concluding its statement, the Ministry reaffirmed the unwavering rights of the Palestinian people, declaring that no force can strip them of their rightful claim to their homeland.
It reiterated that lasting peace can only be achieved through rational dialogue and adherence to the two-state solution, which upholds the principle of peaceful coexistence.
The statement follows Netanyahu's controversial comments in response to Saudi Arabia's rejection of normalization with "Israel" in the absence of a Palestinian state. Speaking to "Israel's" Channel 14, Netanyahu remarked, "A Palestinian state? Unless you want a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia... they have vast areas."
Saudi Arabia reaffirms commitment to Palestinian statehood
Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia once again affirmed on February 5 its steadfast stance on Palestinian statehood, underscoring that any diplomatic normalization with "Israel" hinges on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with East al-Quds as its capital.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) first emphasized this position, which was reaffirmed in recent high-profile speeches. As revealed by a statement released by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, it remains central to the Kingdom's foreign policy.
On September 18, 2024, during the opening session of the Shura Council's ninth term, MBS made clear that Saudi Arabia would not establish diplomatic relations with "Israel" without the fulfillment of Palestinian rights, including the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.
MBS also reiterated this stance at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh on November 11, 2024.
