The Saudi ambassador to Britain, Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, confirmed that he wants an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized in statements to the BBC that there is no ideal solution for the post-war situation and that the international community has yet to agree on a ceasefire, pointing out that this must happen first.
**Dialogue Determines Role of the Authority**
He stated that the Palestinian Authority has many resources to play a role in Gaza and stressed the need for international engagement as well. He added that the nature of this role must be determined through dialogue with the Palestinians, the international community, and the Israelis. The ambassador also clarified that concerns about extremism are not solely a Saudi concern, but a worry for everyone.
He emphasized that the unprecedented level of violence from both sides, especially from those who are supposed to be a responsible state, has led to over 80% of Gaza's population being displaced and more than twenty thousand killed. He noted that this level will create a sense of hopelessness not only for Palestinians but also in Britain, France, America, Canada, Algeria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Yemen.
**Efforts Made Are Insufficient**
The ambassador continued that the Israeli government is still talking about ending the first phase of the war, questioning how many casualties are needed to stop the conflict. He stated that the efforts made are insufficient.
In response to a question about Britain's position, the ambassador expressed hope to see more moderation from Britain, wishing to see the entire world treat Israel in the same manner as it treats others. He emphasized that if anyone else had done what Israel did, they would be excluded from the international community and face sanctions and other measures.
**Normalization Will Not Come at the Expense of Palestinians**
Meanwhile, he clarified that discussions regarding the normalization of relations between the Kingdom and Israel had been ongoing prior to the Hamas attack on October 7th. He affirmed that what matters in these discussions is that their final outcome includes at least an independent Palestinian state, and that normalization will not come at the expense of Palestinians.
The ambassador stated in comments to the BBC this Tuesday that he does not believe the reason behind the Hamas attack was to target normalization with Israel. He emphasized that what occurred required a long time of planning and motivations, not least the continuation of Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, affirming that the conflict dates back a hundred years, which is the reason for the October 7 attack, rather than the talks about normalization with Israel.
**Talks Are Paused**
Additionally, the prince affirmed that Saudi Arabia, despite the October 7 attack, remains interested in normalization, a pursuit that began with King Fahd's project in 1982, which inspired the Arab peace plan. He stressed, "We cannot live with Israel without a Palestinian state."
In response to a question about whether the normalization talks are paused until the establishment of a Palestinian state, he stated that the talks are indeed paused, emphasizing that before the attack, the situation was close to normalization and thus close to reaching a Palestinian state. He further stressed that without a stable, independent, and sovereign Palestinian state, nothing else matters, as the outcome will not provide a long-term solution to the conflict.
