RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday said its long-held position that Palestinians must have their own independent state was firm and not open to negotiation, a stance Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reiterated many times before.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry statement came shortly after President Donald Trump said he wants the US to own the Gaza Strip after all Palestinians are displaced from there and sent to other countries, where settlements will be constructed for them.

The Kingdom’s position has been a longstanding one with its leaders repeatedly calling for justice for Palestinians, who they say deserve a state of their own alongside Israel as a way to find a lasting solution to the decades long conflict.

Saudi leaders have repeatedly said any formal relations between the Kingdom and Israel hinge on the creation of a viable Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

The ministry statement highlighted a speech by the crown prince at the Shura Council on September 18, 2024, where he stressed that Saudi Arabia will continue its tireless work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, adding the Kingdom will not normalize ties with Israel without it.

The crown prince expressed a similar sentiment during the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Nov. 11, 2024, where he stressed the continuation of efforts to establish a Palestinian state and demanded an end to Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

He also urged more countries to recognize the State of Palestine, stressing the importance of mobilizing the international community to support the rights of Palestinians, which were expressed in the resolutions of the UN General Assembly by considering Palestine eligible for full membership of the world body.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also stresses its previously announced categorical rejection of any violation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian territories, or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land,” the statement added.

Trump, standing next to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, said the Palestinians would be better off living outside of Gaza which has been bombed to rubble during Israel’s brutal 15-month attack.

“I don’t think people should be going back,” Trump said. “You can’t live in Gaza right now. I think we need another location. I think it should be a location that’s going to make people happy.”

The president insists Egypt and Jordan would have to take the Gazans he plans to displace. Both countries have rejected the idea outright.

The Kingdom said that it’s the international community’s duty to work to alleviate the severe human suffering of the Palestinian people, who will remain in their land.

“Lasting and just peace cannot be achieved without the Palestinian people obtaining their legitimate rights in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, and this is what was previously explained to the previous and current American administrations,” the ministry statement said.

WORLD REACTS TO TRUMP'S PLAN

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday praised Saudi Arabia’s stance in favor of the establishment of a Palestinian State and the kingdom’s rejection of displacing Palestinians. 

Abbas also “strongly rejected” Trump's proposal to take over Gaza.

“President Mahmud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership expressed their strong rejection of calls to seize the Gaza Strip and displace Palestinians outside their homeland,” Abbas's office said in a statement, adding that “legitimate Palestinian rights are not negotiable”.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also lashed out at Trump's proposal, saying “this is an unacceptable issue,” in statements to Anadolu news agency.

Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanou said the proposal is a “racist” idea.

“The American racist stance aligns with the Israeli extreme right's position in displacing our people and eliminating our cause,” al-Qanou said in a statement.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Wednesday said: “I want to be very clear on this: Gaza is the land of Gazan Palestinians and they must stay in Gaza”.

“Gaza is part of the future Palestinian state Spain supports and has to coexist guaranteeing the Israeli state's prosperity and safety,” he added.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for swift reconstruction of Gaza Wednesday without the displacement of Palestinians from the territory. 

France said Wednesday the future of Gaza must not involve “control by a third state” following Trump's remarks. 

The French foreign ministry said it “will continue to campaign for the implementation of the two-state solution, the only one that can guarantee long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.” 

The Kremlin said in a statement that Russia believes a settlement in the Middle East is only possible on the basis of a two-state solution. 

“This is the thesis that is enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolution, this is the thesis that is shared by the overwhelming majority of countries involved in this problem. We proceed from it, we support it and believe that this is the only possible option.”  

British Foreign Minister David Lammy said it should be ensured that Palestinians have a future in their homeland, saying: “We've always been clear in our belief that we must see two states. We must see Palestinians live and prosper in their homelands in Gaza and the West Bank”.

The UN Human Rights Office said any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory breaches international law.

“It is crucial that we move towards the next phase of the ceasefire, to release all hostages and arbitrarily detained prisoners, end the war and reconstruct Gaza, with full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” said the UNHR in a statement to Reuters.

“Any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited,” it said. 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is building a robust health research ecosystem to inform policy development and promote sustainable growth, three Saudi health officials said on Tuesday.

The comments were made during a panel discussion at the Global Healthspan Summit 2025 in Riyadh, which has Arab News as a media partner.

Speaking during the panel discussion titled “GCC Exchange,” Dr. Nouf Al-Numair, secretary general of the Saudi Ministerial Committee for Health in All Policies (HiAP), highlighted how the Kingdom is embedding health considerations into all sectors to tackle age-related diseases and foster collaboration across the Gulf Cooperation Council.

“In Saudi Arabia, we are governing HiAP at a higher level — it’s embedded within the central government,” said Dr. Al-Numair.

She added that through a ministerial committee exercising this topic, HiAP is supported by 11 ministries working together to activate health in all policies across the Kingdom.

Dr. Al-Numair highlighted Saudi Arabia’s focus on developing a strong research ecosystem as a foundation for addressing national challenges.

“This ecosystem is crucial because it informs policy development and research allows us to set priorities, understand challenges and proactively solve them through policies — not just isolated initiatives or programs,” she said.

Dr. Al-Numair outlined five key pillars essential for building a strong research ecosystem: Strong governance and alignment, building capabilities, clear funding mechanisms, data and digital infrastructure, and collaborative platforms.

“We need a robust governance structure to align research with national strategies,” she said, highlighting the importance of central coordination to ensure that research addresses priority areas.

Dr. Al-Numair said that investing in the workforce and preparing for futuristic jobs within the research environment is key to creating a sustainable ecosystem.

“A defined funding mechanism ensures that researchers, scientists and innovators are adequately supported to contribute to the ecosystem,” she added.

Digitalizing data and creating a comprehensive digital infrastructure is critical for enabling research and collaboration, she said.

Dr. Majed Al-Jeraisy, executive director of research and education at the Saudi NIH, further highlighted the challenges of building research infrastructure from scratch and highlighted the need to first change cultural mindsets.

“This is the most important element to start with,” said Dr. Al-Jeraisy. “We need to shift the mindset and culture around research before focusing on other key elements such as setting clear milestones and measurable goals within the strategy.”

Dr. Al-Jeraisy also highlighted the importance of recruiting high-caliber scientists to support the collaborative nature of research into extending the healthy human lifespan.

He said that this research requires a collaborative approach between scientists and clinicians.

“This integration doesn’t exist yet, so we need to foster more collaboration and even recruit experienced scientists from abroad to embed this culture within the system.”

Leveraging artificial intelligence and big data is another critical priority, Dr. Al-Jeraisy added.

“Without a robust database for our community, we cannot develop a strategy, road map, or even efficient planning and funding,” he said.

Dr. Al-Jeraisy added that having sustainable funding is crucial.

“Setting up infrastructure requires securing resources to support long-term healthspan and longevity research.”

He added that the field demands sustained momentum and stakeholder engagement over time.

Adding to the discussion, Dr. Walid Al-Keridy, director, home health care administration at the Ministry of Health, highlighted how the ministry is taking a holistic approach to address healthy longevity and lifespan in alignment with Vision 2030.

“In the Ministry of Health, our North Star and vision are to ensure that every individual in our society is not only living longer, but also healthier, supported by a resilient healthcare system,” Dr. Al-Keridy said.

He outlined the ministry’s guiding principles, which prioritize prevention, health and digital transformation, private-sector partnerships and program sustainability.

Dr. Al-Keridy highlighted the importance of designing programs that meet people where they are, linking them to Vision 2030 priorities and ensuring sustainability.

“We address this at multiple levels within the ministry through resilient programs that ensure value in the healthcare system. These principles are embedded in our initiatives, such as the value-based program and even in our contractual agreements with new therapies,” he said.

The “GCC Exchange” panel explored how Gulf countries are fostering collaboration to tackle age-related diseases and promote sustainable growth in healthspan research.

Dr. Al-Numair concluded by highlighting Saudi Arabia’s leadership in health policy and research innovation within the region.

“By focusing on governance, capabilities, funding, infrastructure and collaboration, we can build a health ecosystem that not only addresses current challenges, but also prepares us for the future,” she said.