Saudi Foreign Minister Denies Rumors Of Crown Prince's Planned Meeting With Netanyahu

Saudi Foreign Minister Denies Rumors of Crown Prince's Planned Meeting With Netanyahu

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in an interview with the country's Al Arabiya English broadcaster on Thursday, rebutted recent media speculations about a possible meeting between Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th February, 2020) Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in an interview with the country's Al Arabiya English broadcaster on Thursday, rebutted recent media speculations about a possible meeting between Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Arab media have been reporting that the United States was preparing the high-level meeting to discuss the US-sponsored Middle East peace plan. In addition, speculations that Netanyahu was seeking talks with Riyadh were fueled by his talks with Sudan's Sovereign Council chairman, Abdel Fattah Burhan, earlier this month.

"There is no meeting planned between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Saudi Arabia's policy has been very clear since the beginning of this conflict. There are no relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel and the Kingdom stands firmly behind Palestine," the minister said, as quoted by the newspaper.

The foreign minister added that along with the other members of the Arab League, Saudi Arabia sought to normalize relations with Israel and find "a just and fair settlement" to the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine.

After the US announced its Middle East peace plan in late January, Saudi Arabia welcomed the initiative and called on the conflicting sides to return to direct negotiations under the auspices of Washington.

Despite Riyadh's support, the deal triggered a strong global backlash, especially within the Arab world. According to the plan, Israel would annex settlements in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, and have Jerusalem as its "undivided capital." Meanwhile, a demilitarized Palestinian state is offered the adjacent village of Abu Dis as its capital and $50 billion in investment to "spur the Palestinian economy." Palestine has continued to insist that its pre-1967 borders be restored with Jerusalem, not adjacent villages, as its capital.