Yemen’s internationally recognized government issued a warning on Sunday regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent comments about Saudi Arabia, calling them a direct threat to regional security.  

In a statement accessed by Barran Press, Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Netanyahu’s remarks as “provocative and arrogant,” emphasizing the serious risks they pose to stability in the region.  

The statement highlighted Saudi Arabia’s long-standing commitment to peace, citing King Fahd’s 1981 peace initiative as a practical and viable solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Yemen accused Israel of deliberately obstructing peace efforts to further its colonial ambitions at the expense of Palestinian and Arab rights. The Yemeni government urged the international community and the United Nations to take a firm stance against such violations.  

Saudi Arabia’s Response  
Saudi Arabia also rejected Netanyahu’s comments, asserting that they serve to distract from Israel’s ongoing crimes in Gaza, including ethnic cleansing. The Kingdom denounced what it described as the extremist ideology of the Israeli occupation forces, accusing them of obstructing peace for more than 75 years.  

Netanyahu’s Controversial Statement  
During an interview with Channel 14, Netanyahu suggested that Saudi Arabia, with its vast territory, could host a Palestinian state, adding that normalization with Israel did not require the establishment of a Palestinian state.  

U.S. Involvement & Regional Backlash 
Netanyahu’s remarks came on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent statements advocating for the seizure of Gaza and the forced displacement of Palestinians—an idea that has sparked widespread condemnation across the Arab world and beyond.  

Between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, Israeli military actions in Gaza, with U.S. backing, resulted in over 159,000 Palestinian casualties, the majority of whom were women and children. More than 14,000 people remain missing.