Egypt strongly denounced comments made by Israeli officials proposing the creation of a Palestinian state on Saudi territory, calling them “irresponsible” on Saturday.
The Egyptian foreign ministry stated that such suggestions represented a “direct infringement of Saudi sovereignty” and emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s security is a “red line” for Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to make a joke earlier this week when, during an interview on Channel 14, he responded to a misstatement from the interviewer who referred to a “Saudi state” instead of a “Palestinian state.” Netanyahu corrected the interviewer, stating, “A Palestinian state” and added with a smile, “Unless you want the Palestinian state to be in Saudi Arabia, they have a lot of territory.”
Although the Egyptian statement did not specifically mention Netanyahu, it condemned the remarks as “reprehensible aggression and an infringement of diplomatic norms.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump recently suggested that the U.S. should take control of Gaza and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” relocating Palestinians to other regions, including Egypt and Jordan.
However, Arab countries have firmly supported the idea of a two-state solution, with a separate Palestinian state alongside Israel. Saudi Arabia rejected Trump’s proposal, stating that it would not normalize relations with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state.
The notion of Palestinians leaving Gaza—territory they consider crucial for an independent state—has been strongly opposed by Palestinian leaders and neighboring Arab nations, especially since the Gaza war began. Trump’s plan has faced widespread global criticism, with many leaders warning that it could destabilize the region. On Friday, Trump indicated that he was not in a hurry to implement his Gaza plan.
