Israel is still 'Palestine' on Saudi Arabia's new map despite peace talks

The updated map comes as the kingdom let the US know that resolving Palestinian issues is critical for any normalization deal with Israel.

 A close-up of Israel in Saudi Arabia's new updated map released in September 2023 (photo credit: SAUDI ARABIA'S GENERAL AUTHORITY FOR SURVEY AND GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION )
A close-up of Israel in Saudi Arabia's new updated map released in September 2023
(photo credit: SAUDI ARABIA'S GENERAL AUTHORITY FOR SURVEY AND GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION )

Despite recent US-brokered normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the entirety of the Jewish State is still referred to as 'Palestine' in an update of the Saudis' official map of the country and its borders published earlier this week.

Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information released the map, which they implored to be exclusively used by media in the kingdom. 

It described the map as one with "reliable national reference for general purpose applications, and is intended to be used for strategic planning, feature location and identification."

Blinken: Palestinians are key to Saudi-Israeli peace

Despite increased reports of a looming deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, the kingdom has let the Biden administration know that resolving Palestinian issues is critical for any normalization deal with Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.

 Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, is received by Deputy Amir of Makkah, Prince Badr Bin Sultan, as he arrives to attend the Arab League Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 18, 2023 (credit: SAUDI PRESS AGENCY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, is received by Deputy Amir of Makkah, Prince Badr Bin Sultan, as he arrives to attend the Arab League Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 18, 2023 (credit: SAUDI PRESS AGENCY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

“It is also clear from what we hear from the Saudis that if this process is to move forward, the Palestinian piece is going to be very important too,” he said on Wednesday in an interview with the podcast Pod Save the World.

“In our judgment that needs to involve a two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he explained.