Saudi Warns Israel Annexation Would Cross ‘Red Line’

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

Jerusalem / Riyadh — Saudi Arabia has privately warned Israel that annexing parts of the West Bank would cross a “red line” with “major implications in all fields,” Israeli media reported, as Jerusalem considers responses after a wave of Western states formally recognized the State of Palestine. The warning underscores the fragile gains in Gulf–Israeli rapprochement and raises the stakes for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he consults with U.S. leaders in New York.

According to Israeli reporting, Saudi officials told Israel annexation would carry broad consequences — potentially ending Saudi–Israeli normalization, reversing airspace openings since 2022, and undermining the Abraham Accords and covert security and trade cooperation. Riyadh did not publicly specify which measures it would take but framed annexation as a strategic threat to regional integration.

Inside Israel, Netanyahu convened ministers to map possible responses to the recognition moves. Options under discussion reportedly include reclassifying West Bank areas (shifting parts of Area A to Area B, and parts of Area B to Area C), restricting diplomatic access by closing some foreign consulates, and tightening administrative control over contested zones. Officials said any major step would be coordinated with the United States and deferred until Netanyahu meets President Donald Trump.

European diplomats warned Israel that annexation would amount to “collective punishment” of Palestinians and risk triggering trade and diplomatic penalties, sources said. The French government has spearheaded recognition efforts tied to a broader plan for Palestinian Authority reform after a ceasefire, a package backed by several Arab states. Gulf capitals—particularly Abu Dhabi and Riyadh—have warned that annexation would render prior normalization gains irretrievable.

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