Egypt condemned remarks from Israeli officials proposing the establishment of a Palestinian state on Saudi Arabian land as “irresponsible” on Saturday.
In a statement, Egypt’s foreign ministry called the idea a “direct infringement of Saudi sovereignty” and emphasized that the kingdom’s security is a “red line” for Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the suggestion during an interview this week, where he initially joked about the possibility of a “Saudi state” instead of a “Palestinian state.” He quickly corrected the interviewer, but added, “Unless you want the Palestinian state to be in Saudi Arabia, they have a lot of territory.”
The Egyptian statement did not directly address Netanyahu but described the remarks as “reprehensible aggression and an infringement of diplomatic norms.”
Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump suggested that the U.S. should take control of Gaza from Israel and create a “Riviera of the Middle East” after relocating Palestinians elsewhere, including Egypt and Jordan. Arab nations have long advocated for a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Trump later clarified that Saudi Arabia was not demanding a Palestinian state as a condition for normalizing relations with Israel. However, Saudi Arabia rejected Trump’s statements, asserting that it would not establish ties with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state.
The suggestion that Palestinians leave Gaza—territory they seek for an independent state—has been consistently rejected by the Palestinian leadership and neighboring Arab states since the Gaza conflict began.
Trump’s plan has been widely criticized globally, with leaders warning it could destabilize the region. Trump stated on Friday that he was in no rush to implement his proposal for Gaza’s redevelopment.
