This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – The game of claim and counter-claim moved on apace Wednesday, as Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer – one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's closest political confidants – responded to a question from a member of the Knesset inside the parliamentary chamber denying Israel had agreed to a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, which included recognition of a Palestinian state.

Israel and Saudi Arabia, who were thought by many analysts to be well on the road to normalization following the signing of the 2020 Abraham Accords, were in an even more advanced stage in 2023. These moves were almost entirely suspended following the brutal Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 of that year and the war which followed it, which is currently suspended by a fragile ceasefire. The now deceased former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar admitted one of the catalysts for the attack was the growing cooperation between Jerusalem and Riyadh.

During the Biden presidency, the Saudis seemed to harden their approach to Israel and make creating a pathway to Palestinian statehood a prerequisite of normalizing relations and burying decades of mutual enmity. However, this was neither defined nor outlined in any clear and concise manner. It was Washington's dalliance with unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state, which pushed Mohammed bin Salman toward a similar position; to not have done so would have been to lose face.

Dermer, who is a former Israeli ambassador to the United States, made the remarks in the Knesset – in which he is rarely seen, partly as a result of being appointed and not elected – in response to a question from MK Oded Forrer of Israel Beitenu, who asked: "You act as … the messenger of the prime minister to the Americans and the Saudis. Are there any commitments you have given verbally or otherwise from the prime minister or you, as his messenger, agreeing to a Palestinian state in negotiations?"

Dermer responded: "About a Palestinian state – there is no such promise at all."

The PM's advisor was also quizzed about the civilian administration of Gaza and the current ceasefire in Lebanon, which is set to expire Sunday, and which to-date has survived repeated Hezbollah violations, amid continued but limited Israeli strikes against terrorist targets in the country's south.

Dermer said he was working "on the day after" in Gaza, although he would not be drawn into specifics as he claimed previously leaked information had made negotiations more tricky. "Since it's an Israeli initiative," he said, "we must align with both the United States and regional powers. I'm very optimistic that we can achieve effective management in Gaza post-conflict, fully in line with the Prime Minister's framework."