Just a year after announcing that diplomatic ties with Israel were getting closer, Saudi Arabia's de facto leader has shut down talk of normalisation as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to spread. Days after the war in Gaza broke out on October 7,

His comments reflect an apparent toughening of his views on an issue that could reshape the diplomatic map of the Middle East.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday said the kingdom would not recognise Israel without a Palestinian state and strongly condemned the "crimes of the Israeli occupation" against the Palestinian people.

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler said Wednesday that the kingdom will not establish ties with Israel until a Palestinian state has been created, in a blow to US efforts to seal a normalisation deal.

Just a year after announcing that diplomatic ties with Israel were getting closer, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader has shut down talk of normalisation as