Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that Palestinians should establish their state in Saudi Arabia rather than in their homeland, dismissing the idea of Palestinian sovereignty entirely. Speaking in an interview with Israeli Channel 14 on Thursday, he remarked that Saudi Arabia had “a lot of land” available for such a purpose, disregarding long-standing Palestinian demands for self-determination and statehood.

When asked whether the creation of a Palestinian state was necessary for the normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu firmly rejected the notion, portraying it as a security threat to Israel. He cited the events of 7 October as justification for his stance, claiming that Gaza, under Hamas’ rule, functioned as a Palestinian state and resulted in disaster. His remarks reinforced his continued opposition to any form of Palestinian sovereignty.

Netanyahu also discussed the possibility of normalisation with Saudi Arabia, predicting an imminent agreement between the two nations. “I think peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia is not only feasible, I think it’s going to happen,” he stated. However, the Saudi Foreign Ministry promptly dismissed his assertions, reiterating that normalisation with Israel remains off the table unless a Palestinian state is established—an essential condition that Netanyahu continues to ignore.

The interview occurred while Netanyahu was in Washington, DC, where he appeared alongside former US President Donald Trump at a joint press conference. During the event, Trump proposed an extraordinary redevelopment plan in which the US would “take over” Gaza and relocate Palestinians elsewhere, claiming this could transform the enclave into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” He later reiterated his proposal, insisting no US troops would be involved. World leaders have widely condemned the plan, some calling it an ‘ethnic cleansing’ plan.