King Salman of Saudi Arabia has informed US President Donald Trump there would be no normalizations with Israel without Palestinian statehood, the kingdom's state news agency reported on Monday.
The leaders spoke by phone following a historic US-brokered 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.
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King Salman reportedly told Trump he appreciated US efforts to support peace and that Saudi Arabia wanted to see a fair and permanent solution to the Palestinian issue 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 seized in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and site of its holiest shrines, has no official diplomatic ties with Israel. However, this month the kingdom said it would allow flights between UAE and Israel, including by Israeli airliners, to use its airspace.
The Persian Gulf power and the Jewish state are, however, believed to be maintaining behind-the-scenes ties as part of their mutual efforts to counter the threat post by Iran's aspirations for regional hegemony.
Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner said last week he hopes another Arab country normalizes ties with within months.
No other Arab state has said so far it is considering following the UAE.
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 as both Fatah and Hamas condemned the rapprochement, labeling the move "a stab in the back."
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