"Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel until this is done", writes the Saudi Foreign Ministry on X.
Riyadh's support for an independent Palestinian state is "firm and unwavering", it further states.
Has Been Rejected
The statement comes just hours after Donald Trump held a joint press conference with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where the American president, among other things, said that the US "will take over the Gaza Strip". Earlier, Trump had hinted that the inhabitants of Gaza should leave the territory for countries such as Egypt and Jordan.
A similar proposal has previously been rejected by Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Arab League, and the Palestinian Authority, which holds limited self-governance in the West Bank.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also emphasizes that Canberra's position has not changed – that the country is in favor of a two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Australia is one of the US's closest allies in the region.
On Hold
Both Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have long worked diligently to establish a formal diplomatic relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The process was, however, put on hold by the Saudis due to the war in Gaza. Riyadh has recently sharpened its rhetoric against Netanyahu's government. As recently as in November, Saudi Arabia hosted a summit with the Arab League, where the leaders agreed to condemn Israel's actions "in the context of genocide".
