Summary:
- Israeli PM Netanyahu rejected Palestinian statehood, suggesting Saudi Arabia should host Palestinians instead.
- Netanyahu claimed Gaza under Hamas demonstrated the dangers of Palestinian sovereignty during a Channel 14 interview.
- Saudi Arabia reiterated normalization requires Palestinian state recognition, directly conflicting with Netanyahu’s stance.
- Trump proposed a controversial US-led Gaza takeover and Palestinian resettlement plan during joint DC appearance.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed relocating Palestinians to Saudi Arabia during a Thursday interview with Israeli Channel 14, explicitly rejecting Palestinian statehood aspirations. The controversial remarks came during his Washington visit with former US President Donald Trump, who separately unveiled an unorthodox Gaza redevelopment plan involving mass Palestinian resettlement.
Netanyahu dismissed Palestinian sovereignty claims, asserting: “The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there.” He framed post-October 7 security concerns as justification, claiming Gaza under Hamas rule demonstrated Palestinian statehood’s risks: “Look what we got.”*
The Saudi Foreign Ministry immediately reaffirmed its precondition for normalization – Palestinian statehood recognition – which Netanyahu called a “security threat to Israel.” Despite this impasse, the Israeli leader predicted imminent Saudi-Israeli peace, stating: “I think it’s going to happen.”*
Trump’s parallel proposal involved US-led Gaza reconstruction through private developers, envisioning “the Riviera of the Middle East” without military involvement. His plan to “take over” the enclave and resettle Palestinians abroad drew swift international condemnation.
The dual announcements underscore deepening tensions over Gaza’s postwar future, with Israeli and US leaders advancing solutions opposed by Palestinians and regional allies. Saudi Arabia maintains its normalization stance requires concrete progress toward Palestinian self-determination, directly conflicting with Netanyahu’s position.
