Saudi Arabia's King Salman reiterated his country's support for a Palestinian state after his son and heir apparent said Israelis were entitled to live peacefully on their own land – a rare statement by an Arab leader.
In an interview with U.S. magazine The Atlantic on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was asked if he believes the Jewish people have a right to a nation-state in at least part of their ancestral homeland. He responded, "I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land. But we have to have a peace agreement to assure stability for everyone and to have normal relations."
King Salman reaffirmed "the kingdom's steadfast position toward the Palestinian issue and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital," state news agency SPA said on Tuesday.
The Saudi monarch also stressed the need to advance the peace process in a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday night.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised the king and thanked him for his support.
"President Abbas expressed his gratitude and appreciation for his [Salman's] supportive positions of the Palestinian people, the Palestinian cause and the cause of Jerusalem and its sacred sites," a statement published by Abbas' office said.
Abbas also praised Saudi Arabia for continuing to support the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital, the statement said.
There was no official comment from the Palestinian Authority about the prince's remarks to The Atlantic.
