TEL AVIV — In a provocative statement, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Israel does not need relations with Saudi Arabia, adding sarcastically that the Saudis can “keep riding camels in the desert.”
Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem, organized by the Zomet Institute and Makor Rishon newspaper, the far-right Religious Zionism Party leader dismissed any possibility of normalization with Riyadh if it involves the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“If Saudi Arabia says we should normalize relations in exchange for a Palestinian state — no, thank you,” Smotrich declared. “They can continue riding camels in their desert, and we will continue developing our economy, society, and state.”
Political observers condemned the statement as offensive and diplomatically reckless, warning that it could harm ongoing regional normalization efforts. Several Middle Eastern nations have been considering closer ties with Israel, but such remarks risk undermining those fragile talks.
