Saudi FM Calls for Direct Talks between «Israel» & Palestinians

By Staff, Agencies

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud called Thursday for direct peace talks between the “Israeli” entity and Palestinians.

In an interview with the Washington Institute, a US think tank focused on the Middle East, the Saudi FM reiterated the country's support for the so-called “Arab Peace Initiative of 2002”.

Under the proposal, dozens of nations are to set up formal ties with the “Israeli” entity – but before that, a Palestinian state must be established with a capital in East al-Quds [Jerusalem], and the question of Palestinian refugees must be settled.

The FM said Riyadh welcomed the recent efforts on bringing the two sides to the negotiations table in a nod to US President Donald Trump and stressed the importance of “peace” between the "Israeli” entity and the Palestinians.

"All other things will follow from that,” the Saudi FM said in a tacit rejection of the idea of normalizing ties with the entity in the nearest future.

The interview came as the Knesset ratified Thursday the “Israeli” entity’s normalizations with the United Arab Emirates [UAE].

With both “Israeli” and US officials hinting that more Arab states could join the normalization process soon,  recent opinion polls revealed that “Israelis” were most excited about the prospect of formal ties with Saudi Arabia – and that a majority of Saudis were open to the idea as well.