CAIRO, Feb 5: Saudi Arabia has firmly rejected the notion of normalizing ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, directly contradicting President Donald Trump's statement that Saudi Arabia was not demanding a Palestinian homeland when discussing the U.S. plan to take control of Gaza.

In a startling announcement on Tuesday, Trump proposed that the United States take control of the Gaza Strip after resettling the Palestinian population elsewhere and use the territory for economic development. His comments were made during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Saudi Arabia, however, reiterated its longstanding stance on the Palestinian issue. In a statement issued by its foreign ministry on Wednesday, the kingdom emphasized that it would not entertain any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land, stressing that its position on the matter is non-negotiable.

The statement also highlighted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s firm and unequivocal stance on the matter, which leaves no room for interpretation.

Any proposed displacement of Palestinians is seen as a deeply sensitive issue for both Palestinians and the broader Arab world. The fear of experiencing another “Nakba” — the 1948 catastrophe when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced during the creation of the state of Israel — remains a powerful and painful memory in the region.

As the Gaza war continues, these concerns have only intensified. The conflict, which erupted in October 2023, has exacerbated tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and Saudi Arabia has now placed any potential normalization of relations with Israel on hold due to growing outrage over Israel's actions in Gaza.

President Trump has been keen to have Saudi Arabia, one of the most influential and powerful Arab nations, follow in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which signed the Abraham Accords in 2020. These agreements resulted in the normalization of relations between those nations and Israel, marking a historic shift after a quarter-century of Arab reluctance to engage with Israel.

For Israel, establishing diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia would be a significant achievement, considering the kingdom's immense influence in the Middle East, its leadership within the Muslim world, and its status as the world's largest oil exporter. However, as the conflict in Gaza rages on, Saudi Arabia remains resolute in its position on the Palestinian issue.