JJP lobbies Saudi Arabian Embassy on normalisation with Israel
On 11 June 2025, JJP wrote to the Saudi Arabian Embassy advocating that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should use its potential leverage with Israel to protect the Palestinians and assist them in achieving the end of the Israeli occupation.
Letter to the Saudi Arabian Embassy
11 June 2025
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are writing to request a meeting to discuss the catastrophic moment the Palestinians are now in, and the action the Kingdom can take to protect the Palestinians and finally end the Israeli occupation. We hope you will be able to meet us before the New York conference starts next week.
Since Canada, the United Kingdom, and France issued their “Joint statement on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank” on 19 May, the rate of killing and wounding in Gaza by the Israeli army has increased considerably. United Nations OCHA data shows there was an average of 53 deaths and 153 injuries per day in the two months before 19 May, rising to an average of 61 deaths and 242 injuries per day in the two weeks after that. Those are increases of 15% and 61%.
However, the full situation is even worse. There is no data at all for Northern Gaza from 23 to 31 May, because officials were unable to get access there. Therefore, the increases in rates of deaths and injuries are certainly higher than the available data shows, and possibly much higher.
Ministers in the Israeli government have made it clear through their public statements that they wish to empty Gaza of its population. They have no compunction about continued killing of Palestinians, including using starvation as a weapon of war, to force them out of Gaza.
In addition to increasing the rate of assault in Gaza, the Israeli Defence Ministry announced the approval of 22 new West Bank settlements. The Ministry said “The new settlements are all placed within a long-term strategic vision, whose goal is to strengthen the Israeli hold on the territory, to avoid the establishment of a Palestinian state…”
The Canadian-UK-French Statement was very strong. The British Foreign Secretary described Israel’s assaults as “abhorrent” and “repellent”. They are strong words. The statement promised strong concrete action, including sanctions, if Israel didn’t desist. However, Israel has not desisted but there have been no meaningful sanctions.
It is now up to countries with leverage to use it to compel Israel to desist, to accept the Arab Reconstruction plan, and then to finally compel Israel agree to end the long occupation. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has the leverage of normalising relations with Israel. Israel craves the acceptance of the rest of the world that normalisation would bring, and the United States wants to be the midwife.
Let the Saudi Royal Family make it crystal clear that normalisation will not happen until Israel ends the occupation and agrees to the creation of a Palestinian state. The state must be based on the 1967 borders with land swaps to maintain the 78%-22% split of the land mandated by Security Council Resolutions 242 and 2334, among many others. A rump, bantustan state will not end the conflict or the violence.
A firm Saudi position will also redound to the Kingdom’s benefit outside the region. The recent Pew Research survey shows that public opinion has decisively turned against Israel because of its war on the people of Gaza. In 20 of the 24 countries surveyed, around half of adults or more have an unfavourable view of Israel. Around three-quarters or more hold this view in eight countries.
We hope to hear from you shortly to arrange a meeting.
Yours sincerely,
Arthur Goodman
Parliamentary and Diplomatic Officer