Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister says the kingdom will not normalize relations with Israel or contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction without a pathway to a solution to the conflict that includes the creation of a Palestinian state. Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s remarks in an interview with CNN broadcast late Sunday were some of the most direct yet from Saudi officials. They run counter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of Palestinian statehood and plans for open-ended military control over Gaza. The dispute over Gaza’s future, as the war still rages with no end in sight — pits the United States and its Arab allies against Israel and poses a major obstacle to any plans for governance or reconstruction in Gaza if and when Hamas is defeated.
