Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Reaffirms Kingdom’s Stance During UN Press Briefing with French Counterpart

Saudi Arabia has made it clear that it will not pursue normalization of diplomatic ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established and the ongoing war in Gaza comes to an end. The firm position was reiterated by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan during a joint press conference with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Monday, July 28.

Prince Faisal stated that recognizing Israel is inherently linked to the establishment of a Palestinian state. He emphasized that this has been Saudi Arabia’s most unequivocal stance so far regarding the normalization process, underscoring the necessity of a two-state solution as a prerequisite.

He further expressed hope that this clear message would remain consistent in future diplomatic engagements and would foster a realistic political momentum. Such progress, he noted, could eventually open the door to discussions about normalizing ties with Israel, but not before the underlying conditions are met.

The Saudi minister emphasized that as long as the humanitarian crisis continues in Gaza—with civilian casualties rising daily and communities reduced to rubble—talks of normalization hold no merit. In his view, any such discussions lack practical or moral foundation while the conflict persists.

Prince Faisal also referred to a recently held high-level international conference that Saudi Arabia co-hosted with France. The event focused on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a two-state framework. Recalling the outcomes of the conference, the foreign minister reiterated that the only viable political solution lies in the creation of an independent Palestinian state and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

He concluded by stressing that without achieving those conditions, Saudi Arabia sees no justification for moving forward with normalization, reinforcing the Kingdom’s long-held position in support of Palestinian sovereignty and regional peace.