Watan-The tone of malice and cunning marked a question posed by a correspondent from the “CNN” network to the Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The question pertained to Saudi Arabia’s stance if Israel “crushes” Hamas in Gaza, and whether the Kingdom supports such actions.
The Saudi Foreign Minister responded, “What we see is that the Israelis are crushing Gaza. They are crushing the civilian population in Gaza,” and added, “This is unnecessary and absolutely unacceptable.”
He emphasized, “We need to find a way to stop the killing of civilians and find a way to allow humanitarian aid to reach,” stating that the only path to stability is the formation of a Palestinian state.
The Resolution of the Palestinian Issue
Regarding the possibility of Saudi forces entering Gaza to ensure stability, when asked by the American journalist Fareed Zakaria, the Saudi Minister said, “I believe what we need to focus on is the resolution of the Palestinian issue, not just Gaza.”
He further stated, “What we feel is necessary is a credible pathway with no turning back to a Palestinian state that would legitimize any Arab state, including, of course, Gaza and its governance.”
Hypothetical Ideas
Addressing the hypothetical idea of foreign Arab forces entering Gaza under the guise of stability, the Saudi Foreign Minister dismissed it as virtual thoughts, asserting that Palestinian governance is capable of achieving stability in Gaza.
Bin Farhan stressed that talks about rebuilding Gaza are futile because “if we reset the current situation before October 7th in a way that qualifies us for another round of this, as we have seen in the past, there is no benefit to such discussions.”
Saudi-Israeli Normalization
Regarding Saudi-Israeli normalization, the CNN correspondent asked about Saudi Arabia’s plan. Faisal bin Farhan reiterated his statements about the necessity of forming a Palestinian state to continue such talks.
He stated, “For the region to see real peace, real stability, and real integration that achieves economic and social benefits for all of us, including Israel, the only way to achieve peace is through a credible and irreversible process to establish a Palestinian state.”
Reports in early January suggested that Israel was engaged in secret talks with the White House to expedite normalization with Saudi Arabia, a proposal considered “highly attractive” to the United States to prevent the escalation of the Gaza conflict in the region and to avoid an awkward position for the United States.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite domestic challenges, continuously rejected Saudi and U.S. requests for the establishment of a Palestinian state.