"Saudi Arabia Stands Firm: No Diplomatic Ties with Israel Without Independent Palestinian State"

Saudi Arabia reiterates to the U.S. that it will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem and Israeli "aggression" on the Gaza Strip stops. This reaffirmation comes in response to comments suggesting positive feedback on normalization discussions between Saudi Arabia and Israel. The idea of formalizing ties between the two countries has been under discussion since the UAE and Bahrain established ties with Israel in 2020, but Saudi Arabia put plans on hold amid the escalation of the conflict between Hamas and Israeli forces.