Egypt has strongly condemned recent comments by Israeli officials proposing the creation of a Palestinian state on Saudi soil, calling the suggestion “irresponsible.”
In a statement on Saturday, Egypt’s foreign ministry decried the notion as a “direct violation of Saudi sovereignty,” affirming that the kingdom’s security is a “red line” for Egypt.
The remarks came from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, during an interview on the pro-Netanyahu Channel 14 this week, appeared to make a lighthearted comment after an interviewer mistakenly referred to a “Saudi state” instead of a “Palestinian state.” Netanyahu quickly corrected the interviewer but added with a smile, “Unless you want the Palestinian state to be in Saudi Arabia, they have a lot of territory.”
While the Egyptian statement did not directly reference Netanyahu, it described the comments as “reprehensible aggression” and a breach of diplomatic norms.
The criticism coincided with statements made earlier this week by former President Donald Trump, who suggested the U.S. take control of Gaza from Israel, transforming it into a “Riviera of the Middle East” by resettling Palestinians in Egypt, Jordan, and other countries. Arab nations, however, have long advocated for a two-state solution, with a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Trump later clarified that Saudi Arabia had not made a Palestinian state a condition for normalizing relations with Israel, but the kingdom rejected his assertion, reaffirming that it would not establish ties with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state.
The suggestion of Palestinians being relocated from Gaza has been rejected by the Palestinian leadership and neighboring Arab states, especially following the ongoing Gaza conflict. Trump’s plan has sparked widespread global criticism, with many leaders warning it could destabilize the region. On Friday, Trump said there was no urgency in implementing his plan to redevelop Gaza.
