Netanyahu’s statement to establish Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia irresponsible, provocative: FO

Pakistan termed on Friday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that the Palestinian people should establish a state in Saudi Arabia “irresponsible, and provocative”.

During the weekly press briefing, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan strongly condemned the Israeli PM’s statement and said, “The remarks by Israel are irresponsible, provocative, and thoughtless and are offending, undermining, and disregarding the legitimate rights of Palestinian people to self-determination and independent state on their own historic and legitimate territory.”

Pakistan condemns Israeli PM’s statement

He further said that Pakistan stands in solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

“Any attempt to undermine Saudi Arabia’s unwavering position and misrepresentation of its commitment to the Palestinian cause is deeply regrettable.”

Earlier, Saudi Arabia also affirmed its categorical rejection of remarks by Israeli PM.

The Saudi foreign ministry, noting the importance of the Palestinian issue to the Arab world, stressed “its categorical rejection to such statements that aim to divert attention from the continuous crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza”.

Moreover, Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Sunday that the thinking behind Netanyahu’s remarks “is unacceptable and reflects a complete detachment from reality“, adding that such ideas “are nothing more than mere fantasies or illusions”.

In a television interview on Thursday, right-wing Israeli journalist Yaakov Bardugo was discussing with Netanyahu the prospect of diplomatic normalisation with Saudi Arabia when he appeared to misspeak, attributing to Riyadh the stance that there would be “no progress without a Saudi state”.

“Palestinian state?” Netanyahu corrected him.

“Unless you want the Palestinian state to be in Saudi Arabia,” the Israeli premier quipped. “They (the Saudis) have plenty of territory.”

Pakistan concerned over supply of advance technology to India

During the weekly briefing, the FO spokesperson reiterated Pakistan’s serious concerns regarding the US decision to supply India with advanced military technology.

“Such steps accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability. They remain unhelpful in achieving durable peace in South Asia,” Khan said.

He urged the international partners to take a holistic and objective view of peace and security issues in South Asia and “refrain from endorsing one-sided positions that are detached from ground realities.”

The statement comes hours after US President Donald Trump announced that he will increase military sales to India starting in 2025 and will eventually provide F-35 fighter jets.

“We’ll be increasing military sales to India by billions of dollars. We’re also paving the way to provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters ultimately,” Trump told reporters after a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House.

He also said that Washington and New Delhi will be working together to confront what he called “the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.”

The joint statement issued earlier accused Pakistan of “supporting extremism.”

During the briefing, Shafqat described the Indo-US joint statement as “baseless, misleading and against fundamental values.”

“As a country affected by terrorism, Pakistan is committed to global peace,” the spokesperson said. He reiterated that Pakistan’s defence preparations are solely for self-defence and that the country harbours no aggressive intentions against anyone.