Smotrich: No Path to Peace with Saudis Involves a Palestinian Terror State

By: Fern Sidman

As regional diplomacy heats up ahead of President Donald Trump’s Middle East tour, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich doubled down Monday on Jerusalem’s red lines for normalization with Saudi Arabia, declaring unequivocally that no peace deal can come at the cost of Israel’s security or involve the creation of what he termed a “Palestinian terror state.” Speaking to The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) during his Religious Zionism Party’s weekly faction meeting in Jerusalem, Smotrich clarified Israel’s approach to normalization, emphasizing the “peace for peace” model rather than one predicated on dangerous concessions.

“We think normalization is a good thing and in our mutual interest, both for us and for the Saudis—mainly the Saudis,” Smotrich told JNS. “But we will not, not even for a second, consider giving in to Saudi demands for a Palestinian state.”

Smotrich framed the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East as a battleground between two opposing camps: the “Iranian axis of evil and its proxies” versus the “moderate axis” aligned with the West and led by the U.S. “There’s huge development potential for the entire Middle East here,” he added. “If we subdue evil and wickedness—which we have been doing for a year and a half and will continue to do—we’ll build completely different alliances based on real peace and values.”

Crucially, Smotrich voiced deep reservations about reports that the U.S. is exploring ways to assist Saudi Arabia in developing a civilian nuclear program as part of the normalization package. “We think it isn’t right for the Saudis to have nuclear capabilities,” he warned. “That would be a strategic mistake.”

Smotrich’s comments come amid intensified speculation over a Saudi-Israel deal being brokered with U.S. assistance. As reported by JNS, President Donald Trump left Washington for Riyadh on Monday, with stops in Doha and Abu Dhabi. Trump hinted on May 6 at a “major announcement” to come before departure—“as big as it gets,” he said—fueling anticipation that Saudi-Israel normalization could be imminent.

Yet Smotrich made it clear that any such breakthrough must not compromise Israel’s national interests. “A Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria would be Gaza multiplied by 20,” he warned. “It would be a huge terror state, and geographically and topographically, it dominates the entire State of Israel.”

“If the Saudis want peace for peace, with a maximized win-win for everyone, we’re very happy about that,” Smotrich said. “If they’re asking us to commit suicide in the process—then no thanks.”

JNS also spoke with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who, while more optimistic about the normalization process, reiterated that Israel must not succumb to regional pressure orchestrated by Iran and its terror proxies. Speaking from Berlin alongside German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Herzog said, “There is nothing I want more” than to shake hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “Are we moving toward inclusion of Israel in the region? Or are we caving into radical forces?”

Herzog’s sentiment was echoed by former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who told JNS that any normalization deal must maintain Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME) and address core security concerns. “If you will have good relations, some form of normalization with the Saudis, that’s gonna be very important,” Gantz said. “But we have to look at it from the security perspective only.”

Gantz praised the precedent set by the Abraham Accords and subsequent agreements under the Trump administration, which ensured Israel’s military superiority in the region. “That’s the model we need to follow,” he emphasized to JNS.

Trump himself has made no secret of his intent to revive and expand the Abraham Accords during his second term. Speaking last month, he declared: “I think Saudi Arabia will go into the Abraham Accords. We had four countries in there. It was all set. Now we’re going to start it again.”

One fact remains unchanged: for Israel’s leadership, normalization cannot come at the price of strategic concessions, especially not to a Palestinian entity they see as a threat to Israel’s survival. As Smotrich told JNS, “We want real peace, not illusions—and certainly not terror wrapped in diplomacy.”