In the interview, the host asked: “Are you saying unequivocally that if there is a credible and irreversible path to a Palestinian state, there will be no normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel?
“That’s how we can get an advantage,” Prince Faisal replied. “So yes. “
RELATIVES OF GAZA HOSTAGES STORM ISRAELI PARLIAMENT AS HAMAS WAR RAGES
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan attends a consultation at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. (Fabrice Cofrini/AFP Getty Images)
Prior to Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the U. S. had been seeking to negotiate a landmark deal in which Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with Israel in exchange for U. S. security guarantees, assistance in a civilian nuclear program, and progress toward resolving the conflict. Israeli conflict. Palestinian conflict.
In September, Netanyahu said Israel was “on the verge” of reaching such a deal.
At the beginning of the interview, when asked if oil-rich Saudi Arabia would fund the reconstruction of Gaza, Prince Faisal gave an answer.
“As long as we find a solution . . . then we will be able to communicate about anything,” he said. “But if we repair the prestige quo before Oct. 7, in a way that prepares us for a new set of problems, as we’ve noticed in the past, we’re not interested in that conversation. “
“The key to de-escalating tensions right now is to end the confrontation in Gaza, because that fuels all this instability in the region. Unfortunately, we were already a very volatile region before, but this ongoing confrontation and carnage that we are witnessing. . . “We are now at 30,000 civilians killed in Gaza,” he added. The Hamas-controlled Palestinian Health Ministry has reported 25,295 deaths in Gaza, with more than 60,000 wounded, but does not distinguish between militants and civilians.
Last week, Netanyahu rejected the vision supported by the United States, as well as much of the foreign community, of a postwar resolution, saying he would never allow the creation of a Palestinian state and that he sought an unlimited army over Gaza. On Monday, dozens of relatives of hostages held by Hamas stormed a meeting of an Israeli parliament committee, a far from easy deal to secure the release of their hostages. Netanyahu has insisted to the Israeli public that continuing the devastating offensive in Gaza is the only way to bring the hostages home.
European Union foreign ministers also met in Brussels on Monday to discuss the war in Gaza, support the creation of a Palestinian state as the only credible way to achieve peace in the Middle East and express fear over Netanyahu’s transparent rejection of the idea.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the two-state solution. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, pool, back)
EU CHIEF SAYS ISRAEL WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HAMAS TAKEOVER OF INGAZA: ‘GOVERNMENT-FUNDED’
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and his Palestinian counterpart Riad Malki were also in the Belgian capital for the talks. The long-term Gaza factor pits Israel against opposition from the United States and its Arab allies, who seek to end the fighting in besieged Palestine. territory.
The Palestinians seek a state encircling Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem, territories captured through Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.
Israel views all of Jerusalem as its capital and the West Bank as the historical and biblical heartland of the Jewish people. It has built scores of settlements across both territories that are home to hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers. The last of several rounds of peace talks broke down nearly 15 years ago.
Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until “complete victory” over Hamas and to return all remaining hostages after the Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel that triggered the war. In that attack, some 1,200 people were killed and Hamas and other terrorists abducted around 250 people.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is greeted by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan upon his arrival in northwestern Saudi Arabia on January 8, 2024 (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/AFP Getty Images).
About 100 hostages were released in November as part of a week-long ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
About 130 more people remain in captivity, but several have since been shown to be dead. Hamas has said it will release more prisoners only in exchange for an end to the war and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has ruled out such a deal.
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The Israeli military claims to have killed some 9,000 militants, offers evidence, and blames the high number of civilian casualties on Hamas because it positions its fighters, tunnels and other militant infrastructure in dense residential areas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, surveillance, and more. Tips can be sent to danielle. wallace@fox. com and on Twitter: @danimwallace.