Saudi Arabia condemns the Israeli attack on northern Gaza as genocide – in the Middle East and Africa

Speaking on stage at an investment conference in Riyad, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said Israeli actions in northern Gaza can only be described as a form of genocide that is fueling a cycle of violence.

He reiterated the kingdom’s position that it would not recognize Israel without a Palestinian state, adding in addition to the proposed step that Saudi Arabia “is quite happy to wait until the situation is satisfactory” before proceeding with normalization.

“We are looking at what is happening now in the north (Gaza), where we have a total blockade of all access for humanitarian goods coupled with a sustained military attack with no real route for civilians to find shelter, find safe zones that can only be designated as a form of genocide,” he said.

“This is certainly contrary to humanitarian law, international humanitarian law, and fuels a continuing cycle of violence.”

In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel says it has continued to deliver food to Gaza and blames the United Nations for undernourishing Gazans.

Prince Faisal added that potential U.S.-Saudi deals on trade and artificial intelligence “are not tied to any third parties” and “could probably develop quite quickly.”

“Some of the more important defense cooperation agreements are much more complicated. “We would certainly welcome the opportunity to complete them before (the end of the) Biden administration, but that depends on other factors beyond our control,” he said.

“The other lines of work are not as related, and some of them are progressing quite quickly and we hope they will move forward.”