DM Monitoring
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statements regarding the displacement of Palestinians, calling them an attempt to distract from Israel’s ongoing actions in Gaza.
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry rejected “such statements that aim to divert attention from the continuous crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza, including the ethnic cleansing they are subjected to.”
Riyadh also commended the widespread condemnation from Arab nations, highlighting a unified rejection of Netanyahu’s comments.
“The Kingdom emphasizes that this extremist, occupying mentality disregards the Palestinian people’s deep-rooted historical, emotional, and legal ties to their land,” the statement said. “It refuses to recognize their right to exist and has relentlessly targeted them, killing and injuring over 160,000—mostly women and children—without remorse.”
Saudi Arabia reaffirmed that Palestinians are not “intruders or immigrants” to be expelled at Israel’s will. Instead, it accused proponents of these extremist views of obstructing peace by rejecting Arab-led initiatives and systematically oppressing Palestinians for over 75 years, in violation of international law and UN principles.
The ministry insisted that Palestinian rights remain “firmly established and cannot be erased,” asserting that lasting peace hinges on a return to reason and the acceptance of a two-state solution.
Neighbouring Arab states also condemned Netanyahu’s statements. Egypt labeled them “irresponsible” and a direct violation of Saudi sovereignty, calling the Kingdom’s security a “red line.” Jordan’s Foreign Ministry described the remarks as “inflammatory” and “a clear violation of international law,” warning that such rhetoric undermines regional stability.
The UAE also denounced Netanyahu’s remarks as “reprehensible and provocative,” reaffirming its categorical rejection of any suggestion of establishing a Palestinian stateon Saudi land.
Earlier, Pakistan has strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks suggesting that the Palestinian people should establish a state in Saudi Arabia, calling the statement “irresponsible, provocative, and thoughtless.”
The condemnation came from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday, following Netanyahu’s remarks during an interview on pro-Netanyahu Channel 14.
The Israeli leader appeared to be joking when he responded to an interviewer who mistakenly said “Saudi state” instead of “Palestinian state”, before correcting himself.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, FM Dar said: “The Israeli remark is irresponsible, provocative, and thoughtless, which is not only deeply offensive but also undermines and disregards the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an independent state on their own historical and legitimate territory.”
