Saudi king says he wants peace in Palestine
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas holds a placard showing maps of historical Palestine, and a map of US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a Palestinian state under his new peace plan.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman told US President Donald Trump on Sunday the kingdom was eager to achieve a fair and permanent solution to the Palestinian issue, which he said was the main starting point of the kingdom’s proposed Arab Peace Initiative, the state news agency reported.
The leaders spoke by phone following a historic accord last month under which the United Arab Emirates agreed to become the third Arab state to normalize ties with Israel after Egypt and Jordan.
King Salman told Trump he appreciated US efforts to support peace and that Saudi Arabia wanted to see a fair and permanent solution based on the Arab Peace Initiative proposed by the kingdom in 2002.
Under the proposal, Arab nations have offered Israel normalized ties in return for a statehood deal with the Palestinians and full Israeli withdrawal from territory captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
Saudi Arabia, birthplace of Islam and site of its holiest shrines, does not recognize Israel. But this month it said it would allow flights between the UAE and Israel to use its airspace.
White House adviser and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner has said he hopes another Arab country normalizes ties within months.
No other Arab state has said so far it is considering doing so.
King Salman’s son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Kushner discussed the need for the Palestinians and the Israelis to resume negotiations and reach a lasting peace after Kushner visited the UAE last month.
The UAE-Israel deal was met by overwhelming Palestinian opposition.
