Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom Prince Khalid bin Bandar discussed the status of Saudi-Israel relations in light of the ongoing Israeli invasion of Gaza, telling the BBC a pact was “close” when the the kingdom paused US-brokered talks after Hamas’s deadly attacks on Israel on 7 October.
He said the Kingdom was is interested in normalizing relations with Israel after the war in Gaza, but that any deal must lead to the creation of a Palestinian state.
Saudi Arabia still believed in establishing ties with Israel despite the “deplorable” casualty figures in Gaza, he said, but it would not “come at the cost of the Palestinian people.” The ambassador also warned that there was a “failure of humanity” over Gaza, with the international community not doing enough to end the fighting, according to the BBC.
He also said he would like to see the UK “moderate it’s position” and “treat Israel the same way it treats everyone else.”
“The blind spot towards Israel is a real problem because it provides a blind spot to peace,” he added.
Per the New York Times, Antony J. Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, and a Saudi ambassador asserted on Tuesday the possibility of diplomatic recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia if the Israeli government alleviates the suffering of residents of Gaza and puts Palestinians on a path toward statehood, the NYT reported today.
Per that report, during meetings in Tel Aviv, Mr. Blinken said Israel had “real opportunities” to strengthen ties with Arab nations, as he sought to find a political endgame to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and calm regional violence arising from the conflict, even as Israel says it is slowing down major combat operations in Gaza.