Saudi crown prince says no normalisation with Israel without Palestinian statehood

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday said that Riyadh will not normalise relations with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“The kingdom will not stop its tireless work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we affirm that the kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” he told the Saudi parliament in a speech. 

“We extend our thanks to the countries that recognised the Palestinian state in embodiment of international legitimacy, and we urge the rest of the countries to take similar steps,” he added.

"The Palestinian cause is at the forefront of your country’s concerns, and we renew the kingdom’s rejection and strong condemnation of the crimes of the Israeli occupation authority against the Palestinian people, ignoring international and humanitarian law in a new and bitter chapter of suffering."