Your columnist Nesrine Malik makes some sensible comments in her article, but she also writes that “the Gaza war is not seen by Saudi Arabia as a gamechanger in its relationship with Israel” (With Gaza in ruins and Lebanon under siege, what defence remains for Israel’s actions?, 30 September). This could perpetuate a misunderstanding. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always made clear that any normalisation of relations was contingent on Israel accepting a two-state solution in Palestine, this being the only route to long-term peace in the region.
As the government in Israel seems further away than ever from understanding this key fact, as demonstrated by its behaviour in Gaza and elsewhere, it’s clear that normalisation of the kingdom’s relationship with Israel is currently not possible.
Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud
Saudi ambassador to the UK
