• Saudi official mocks Netanyahu, suggesting Israelis be relocated to Alaska, then Greenland instead of proposing a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia.
• Palestinian and Egyptian leaders reject Netanyahu’s remarks, calling them a violation of Saudi sovereignty and international law.
A prominent member of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council has ridiculed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s suggestion of creating a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia, sarcastically proposing that U.S. President Donald Trump relocate Israelis to Alaska instead.
Writing in the Saudi newspaper Okaz, Yousef bin Trad al-Saadoun dismissed Netanyahu’s idea and mocked Trump’s approach to Middle East diplomacy, suggesting that after moving Israelis to Alaska, the next logical step would be Greenland—an apparent jab at Trump’s previous attempt to purchase the territory from Denmark.
Al-Saadoun sharply criticized Washington’s handling of the Israeli genocide in Palestine, accusing U.S. leadership of blindly supporting Israeli policies without proper diplomatic engagement. He argued that ignoring expert advice and disregarding meaningful dialogue had led to reckless decisions.
“The official foreign policy of the United States embraces illegal land occupation and the forced displacement of native populations—hallmarks of Israel’s strategy—crimes that constitute violations of international law and human rights,” he wrote.
He also took aim at what he described as Israeli influence over U.S. decision-making, claiming that policies dictating Middle East affairs were being crafted by Israel and simply read aloud from the White House Oval Office.
Al-Saadoun further warned that no amount of media manipulation or political pressure would force Saudi Arabia into aligning with Zionist objectives. He stressed that Saudi leadership would remain steadfast in its principles, resisting attempts to coerce the kingdom into any arrangement that undermines Palestinian sovereignty.
Netanyahu’s remarks, made during an interview with Israel’s Channel 14, suggested that Palestinians could establish their own state within Saudi Arabia’s vast territory. “The Saudis have a lot of land; they can create a Palestinian state there,” he said.
Palestine’s foreign ministry rejected the proposal as “racist and anti-peace,” while PLO Secretary-General Hussein al-Sheikh reaffirmed that the only rightful location for a Palestinian state is within historic Palestine.
Egypt also denounced Netanyahu’s remarks, calling them “irresponsible and unacceptable.” Cairo’s foreign ministry emphasized that the proposal infringed on Saudi sovereignty and violated international agreements and the UN Charter.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that any normalization of ties with Israel is contingent on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Riyadh has made it clear that peace in the region cannot be achieved through the displacement of Palestinians or the reallocation of their homeland elsewhere.
As tensions grow over Netanyahu’s controversial statements, Saudi officials continue to reject any suggestion that undermines Palestinian self-determination, reaffirming their commitment to a just and lasting resolution.
