Israel Blocks Saudi-Led Arab Ministers From Visiting Ramallah to Meet Mahmoud Abbas

Israel said it would “not cooperate” with plans from the Palestinian Authority (PA) to host a Saudi-led delegation of foreign ministers in Ramallah, an Israeli official told CNN on Friday, as anger over the war in Gaza grew.

“The foreign ministers of five Arab countries who had planned to visit the occupied West Bank this weekend have condemned Israel’s decision to block their plans”

Al Jazeera

CNN reported that ministers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Turkey needed approval from Israel because “who controls access to the West Bank.”

Al Jazeera

The Israeli official described the meeting as “provocative” and told CNN “Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security.”

The same CNN report said the PA vice president Hussein Al-Sheikh told CNN on Friday that an Arab ministerial delegation led by Prince Faisal planned to arrive in Ramallah on Sunday to meet PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

CNN also said a Saudi source with knowledge of the matter told it that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan postponed his planned trip to the West Bank, “the first ever by such a high-ranking Saudi official since 1967.”

The Times of Israel similarly said the foreign ministers condemned “Israel’s decision to ban the delegation’s visit to Ramallah [on Sunday] to meet with the president of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas,” citing a Jordanian foreign ministry statement.

In parallel, Al Jazeera reported that the ministers condemned “Israel’s decision to ban the delegation’s visit to Ramallah [on Sunday] to meet with the president of the State of Palestine, Mahmud Abbas,” and said Israel’s approval was required because Israel controls the Palestinian territory’s borders and airspace.

The blocked Ramallah visit was framed by multiple outlets as part of a broader Saudi push around Palestinian statehood as the war in Gaza drags on.

CNN said the visit would have been “the highest-level Saudi visit to the area since it was occupied by Israel in 1967,” and linked it to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s efforts for international recognition of Palestinian statehood while “prospects of Saudi-Israeli normalization grow more distant.”

CNN

CNN also reported that Saudi Arabia told US officials it would not normalize relations unless Israel agreed to a pathway for a Palestinian state and “calm in Gaza.”

The Times of Israel described the trip as intended to show support for the “embattled PA,” and said the Israeli entry ban was likely to further distance efforts to secure a normalization deal between Jerusalem and Riyadh.

Al Jazeera added that the Israeli official said the PA intended to host a “provocative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab countries to discuss the promotion of the establishment of a Palestinian state,” and quoted the Israeli official warning that “Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security.”

The Arab Weekly connected the decision to the Gaza war’s impact on US facilitation, saying Israel’s hindrance of the visit is likely to “further undermine US efforts at facilitating normalisation of ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.”

Middle East Eye said the delegation was scheduled to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Sunday and that the visit was postponed after Israeli authorities warned late Friday that they would deny the ministers entry.

After Israel barred the delegation from visiting Ramallah, Jordanian and Saudi officials condemned the decision and described it as a blow to peace efforts.

“Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan postponed a visit to the West Bank that had been scheduled for Sunday after Israel disrupted it, according to a statement by a well-informed Saudi source to CNN”

CNN Arabic

Middle East Monitor reported that an Arab-Islamic ministerial delegation held a virtual meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after Israel barred the group from visiting Ramallah, citing Anadolu reports.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told a press conference after the meeting that the effort aimed to “push for a just and comprehensive peace,” adding “We want peace and are working for it.”

Safadi said “Israel, however, is doing everything on the ground to destroy the last remaining hope for a viable two-state solution,” and called on the international community to act urgently to halt the war in Gaza.

The same Middle East Monitor account quoted Safadi denouncing the Israeli blockade on Gaza as a reflection of “arrogance and extremism.”

It also quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan condemning Israel’s refusal as “yet another confirmation of its extremism and rejection of any serious efforts toward peace,” and said “This rejection only strengthens our resolve to intensify diplomatic efforts to end this war and secure peace.”

In a separate Al Jazeera report, Hussein Al Sheikh, the deputy chair of the PLO, said Israel’s decision is a “dangerous escalation that reflects arrogant, provocative, and unprecedented behavior,” and wrote “We are examining, along with our Arab brothers, how to respond to this decision.”

Israel’s stated rationale for blocking the ministers centered on preventing what it described as a politically motivated attempt to promote Palestinian statehood.

CNN reported that an Israeli official told CNN the meeting was “provocative” and that “Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security.”

Iran Front Page

CNN also said the Israeli official added that the PA “must stop violating its agreements with Israel on all levels,” while CNN noted it was unclear which agreements were being referenced.

Al Jazeera quoted an Israeli official saying the PA intended to host a “provocative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab countries to discuss the promotion of the establishment of a Palestinian state,” and repeated the Israeli line that “Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security.”

The Times of Israel added that a senior Israeli official told it the PA was planning to use the delegation’s visit to “promote the establishment of a Palestinian state,” and it quoted the Israeli official asserting that a Palestinian state would become “a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel.”

The Arab Weekly described Israel’s control of access and said Israeli media reported on Friday that Israel will prevent the entry of the delegation, which needs Israel’s approval as it controls access to the West Bank.

Middle East Eye said Israel’s approval was required for the delegation to travel because Israel controls the West Bank’s border with Jordan, and it quoted the ministers denouncing the move as “a violation of Israel’s obligations as an occupying power.”

The episode unfolded against an international diplomatic push tied to a two-state solution conference and ongoing war-related pressures.

“Israel blocks Arab ministers from occupied West Bank visit A delegation of Arab foreign ministers has condemned Israel’s decision to block their planned visit to the occupied West Bank”

Middle East Eye

CNN said Saudi Arabia is confident that France will be among the states that will recognize Palestinian statehood “in June,” and it reported that Riyadh is working to “prop up the Palestinian Authority” because it sees “no viable alternative” to its role as the political representative of the Palestinian people.

Middle East Eye

CNN also said in June Saudi Arabia is expected to co-chair with France a high-level conference in New York for a two-state solution, and it quoted Macron in Singapore saying the eventual recognition of a Palestinian state was “not only a moral duty, but a political necessity.”

Al Jazeera similarly said the Israeli move came ahead of an international conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, due to be held in New York on June 17-20 to discuss Palestinian statehood, and it quoted Macron’s “moral duty” and “political necessity” framing.

Middle East Monitor added that the ministers’ planned visit was intended to discuss steps to support Palestinian statehood and address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and it cited that Israel has pursued an offensive since October 2023.

Al Jazeera provided war-related figures, saying “Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, at least 972 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured” in attacks across the occupied West Bank, and it said “Since then, at least 54,381 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip and 124,054 wounded” according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

It also said the Strip’s Government Media Office updated the death toll to “more than 61,700,” saying thousands of people missing under the rubble are presumed dead.