Israeli Minister Rejects Ties with Saudi Arabia, Says ‘They Can Keep Roaming the Desert on Camels’
Tel Aviv: Israel’s Finance Minister has dismissed the prospect of normalising relations with Saudi Arabia, saying that Israel does not need ties with the Kingdom if it insists on the recognition of a Palestinian state as a precondition. Speaking to Israeli media, the minister stated, > “If Saudi Arabia demands the establishment of a Palestinian…
Tel Aviv: Israel’s Finance Minister has dismissed the prospect of normalising relations with Saudi Arabia, saying that Israel does not need ties with the Kingdom if it insists on the recognition of a Palestinian state as a precondition.
Speaking to Israeli media, the minister stated,
> “If Saudi Arabia demands the establishment of a Palestinian state in exchange for normalisation, our answer will be simple — no, thank you.”
In a controversial remark that drew criticism online, he added,
> “Let them keep roaming the desert on camels. We will continue to develop our economy, our society, and our state.”
The comments come amid renewed diplomatic efforts by the United States to broker a Saudi-Israeli normalisation deal by the end of the year — an initiative previously supported by Washington but now facing sharp political divisions within Israel’s coalition government.
Observers say such statements could further strain regional diplomatic efforts, particularly as Saudi Arabia continues to link any formal recognition of Israel to progress on the Palestinian statehood issue.
