By Attia Naveed
Saudi Arabia鈥檚 top diplomat has made it clear that the kingdom鈥檚 immediate focus is on achieving a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, not on normalising ties with Israel. Speaking in Moscow on Friday, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud emphasized that peace in the region depends on resolving the Palestinian issue first.
He strongly criticized the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, saying, 鈥淲hat we are seeing is the Israelis are crushing Gaza, the civilian population of Gaza. This is completely unnecessary, completely unacceptable and has to stop.鈥 His comments reflect growing frustration across the Arab world over Israel鈥檚 ongoing offensive.
Saudi Arabia had previously linked any possible diplomatic ties with Israel to a just solution for Palestine, a position reaffirmed multiple times since talks around normalisation surfaced under the Abraham Accords framework. The current war, however, has stalled any such dialogue, as Riyadh prioritizes humanitarian concerns.
According to Gaza鈥檚 local health authorities, over 57,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its assault in response to Hamas鈥檚 October 7 attack. The conflict has escalated into one of the deadliest and most destructive episodes in the region鈥檚 recent history.
The Kingdom鈥檚 latest statements come as international pressure grows for a ceasefire and humanitarian relief. Saudi Arabia has called on global powers, including the U.S. and Russia, to push for an end to hostilities and to revive serious peace efforts for a two-state solution.