A reading of the Saudi position on Israel's war on Gaza

Support since the Nakba

Saudi Arabia supported the Palestinian people during the Nakba era when they struggled to reclaim their rights. The Kingdom continued this support when they engaged in negotiations with Israel.

During the breakdown of the Camp David negotiations in 2000, Saudi Arabia introduced a political peace initiative in solidarity with the Palestinians, which was adopted by Arab nations at the Beirut Summit in 2002.

Today – as it has always done – Saudi Arabia stands firmly with the Palestinian people in their legitimate acts of self-defence in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

It supports their efforts to reclaim the territories occupied since 1967 and establish an independent state, all in alignment with international law, which recognises their right to resist occupation as stipulated in Article 2 of United Nations General Assembly Resolution No. 45/130.

Saudi Arabia, in this context, makes a distinction between the Palestinians' right to self-defence and the campaigns of other movements which have international objectives, such as the Islamic State (IS), al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

Legitimate self-defence

The Kingdom unequivocally believes that Palestinian self-defence is a legitimate means to protect lives and reclaim land and that it cannot be compared to terrorist actions which indiscriminately target civilians and innocents and are motivated by ideological differences.

The Kingdom condemns the killing of civilians in Gaza. It considers the silence of countries supporting Israel in these actions as encouragement and complicity in the crimes which breathe new life into terrorist organisations, which Saudi Arabia believes to be nearly extinct.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia rejects the assertion made by some Western leaders and in the media that the current conflict in Gaza is a war between Israel and the Hamas movement. Instead, it views it as a war initiated by Israel against the Palestinian people, with the objective of subjugating or displacing them.

In 1948, Israel forcibly displaced the Palestinian population from their ancestral lands through a series of brutal massacres. This displacement was tragically repeated in 1967. The actions of Israel today are a continuation of these past policies.

Numerous media reports have shed light on the Israeli government's intentions to displace Palestinians from Gaza. They suggest that Israeli authorities have not only planned for this but have also discussed measures to make Gaza uninhabitable.

This dire situation is underscored by the extensive bombing campaign against Gaza, which has resulted in the tragic loss of thousands of innocent lives.

Standing against a second Nakba

Saudi Arabia views the current juncture as a critical moment in the history – and for the future – of the Palestinian people. It amounts to a crossroads that could either lead to another Nakba – a scenario we fervently hope to avoid – or towards a just and sustainable resolution to the Palestinian issue.

The Kingdom earnestly hopes that Palestinian leaders will recognise that this is a pivotal moment and that they will rise to the expectations and aspirations of their people.

Saudi Arabia has consistently called for the unity of Palestinian leadership in both the West Bank and Gaza. In 2007, the Kingdom initiated a dialogue between the two parties, aiming to achieve cohesion to safeguard their cause and homeland.

Today, the conviction is even stronger that this is a time for unity. Palestine's leaders must come together – now – to counter the aggression and displacement plans being perpetrated against their people. The question is clear: if not now, when will such unity ever come?

Since the onset of Israel's assault on Gaza, Saudi Arabia has actively engaged with both the Arab world and the wider international community to exert diplomatic pressure on the US and the West. The goal is to compel Israel to cease its aggression against the Palestinian population immediately.

Freedom, independence, and dignity

The Kingdom's primary focus has been facilitating humanitarian aid delivery to the Palestinians and initiating a robust peace process. Such a process is essential to bring an end to the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state on the land Israel occupied in 1967.

The Kingdom is at the forefront of Arab efforts to achieve this objective. It collaborates closely with Arab and regional powers – including Turkey and Iran –to advance an international resolution that halts the conflict, prevents its escalation, and paves the way for a just settlement that accepts the Palestinian people's desire for freedom, independence, and dignity.

Only this path can ensure security for all the nations in the region. Any alternative will inevitably lead to further conflicts, causing suffering for all parties involved, including the Israeli aggressor.

There has been considerable attention on Iran's role, particularly in the wake of the 7 October attacks on Israel. Some have sought to portray those attacks as part of a coordinated and deliberate plan involving multiple parties. This narrative is not rooted in reality.

This version of events has allowed Iran to enhance perceptions of its role and influence, although it did not anticipate the ferocious and aggressive extent of the Israeli response. Conversely, Israel aims to exploit the current situation to settle scores with Iran by broadening the conflict.

No expanded war

The Saudi stance is unequivocal. The Kingdom opposes the expansion of this war, recognising that any spreading conflict would be a tangible and ongoing threat to stability in a region already grappling with internal conflicts, poverty, and political tensions. A broader conflict would not serve the interests of any regional or international entity anywhere on the globe.

Simultaneously, the Kingdom is aware that continued Israeli aggression against Gaza may ignite further turmoil in the region. Therefore, securing a ceasefire is a top priority for Saudi Arabia, as it is for other regional powers and the global community.

However, should the conflict escalate – God forbid – the Kingdom will not be a party to it and will not accept involvement by any regional or international actor.

No Saudi role in an occupied Gaza

There has been talk in some diplomatic circles in the West and among international policy think-tanks that Saudi Arabia might consider involvement in the administration of Gaza if Israel were to re-occupy the strip.

In answer to this speculation, there is a clear response: The Kingdom categorically rejects any role in Gaza if it falls under Israeli occupation, and it will not partake in its reconstruction.

It is utterly unacceptable for Israel to devastate Gaza and then shift the responsibility of administering and rebuilding it onto Arab countries. The Kingdom's position aligns with international law, which holds that the occupying power bears the consequences of its actions.

Yet, when it comes to aiding the Palestinian people, the Kingdom has never failed to provide support in the past, and it will continue to provide support in the future, independently of the Israeli occupation.

Since the inception of the Saudi peace initiative in 2002, the Kingdom has emphasised that the normalisation of relations with Israel depends on the resolution of the Palestinian issue. It views the latest conflict as a stark validation of its vision and approach and that a proper solution is even more critical today.

The prolonged Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories stands as the primary impediment to the security and stability of the entire region. The occupation hinders countries in the region, including the Kingdom, from normalising relations with Israel.

Read more: The Palestinian Nakba did not end in 1948

A pivotal moment for peace

Saudi Arabia believes the current war has brought the region to a pivotal juncture. The fighting can be stopped immediately and transformed into an opportunity to start a genuine and sincere political process toward a lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israelis, and by extension, between all Arab nations and Israel.

Nonetheless, if Israel persists in its refusal to cease hostilities, potentially encouraged by its supporters, the conflict may escalate, and its consequences will not be confined solely to the Arab nations.

These principles underpin the Kingdom's stance on Israel's war on Gaza. Saudi Arabia is actively engaged both regionally and globally in building support for its position, with the aim of ending the war, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and commencing a peace process that culminates in the end of the occupation.