'Israel' to block Saudi-led delegation from visiting West Bank

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
31 May 2025 08:27
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The Israeli occupation has denied the entry of a Saudi-led delegation of Arab ministers to the occupied West Bank, in a move that risks derailing normalization talks and escalating regional tensions amid the genocide in Gaza.

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Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan talks during a press conference at the end of the GCC-US summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP)

"Israel" has blocked a high-profile delegation of Arab foreign ministers, led by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, from visiting the West Bank, a senior Israeli official confirmed to The Times of Israel on Friday.

The delegation, comprising officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan, was scheduled to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Sunday. According to the official, the Palestinian Authority aimed to use the visit to "promote the establishment of a Palestinian state."

"Israel will not cooperate with moves designed to harm it and its security," the official said, claiming that a future Palestinian state would become "a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel."

While the delegation had no intention of entering territories under full Israeli occupation, "Israel’s" occupation of the West Bank’s borders made its approval essential for the visit to proceed. The ministers were expected to arrive in Ramallah via helicopters from Jordan.

Delegation aimed to support Palestinian statehood

This visit would have marked the first of its kind since "Israel" occupied the West Bank in 1967. Sources indicated the visit was meant to reinforce support for Palestinian statehood and signal Arab solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

The decision to block the visit was reportedly made during a ministerial meeting chaired by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The move is likely to escalate tensions between "Israel" and regional Arab powers, especially as the war on Gaza enters its 20th month.

According to Axios, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally supported the initiative as a gesture of support for the embattled Palestinian Authority. The decision to bar the visit may hinder ongoing efforts to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and "Israel", as per the report.

While some Israeli officials continue to suggest that normalization is still achievable, Saudi leaders have repeatedly emphasized that any agreement depends on substantial progress toward Palestinian statehood.

Palestinian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mazen Ghoneim, said, as quoted by Al Arabiya, that the joint visit was intended to send "a clear message [that] the Palestinian cause is a central issue to Arabs and Muslims."

The delegation also aimed to bolster the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority at a time when Arab and Western allies are urging reforms that would enable Ramallah to take a future governance role in Gaza. "Israel" has so far resisted these efforts, though pressure from regional states continues to grow.

Meanwhile, "Israel" continues to withhold significant monthly tax revenues from the PA, in violation of the Oslo Accords.

International fallout grows

The entry ban comes amid growing international isolation for "Israel" over its ongoing genocide in Gaza, not to mention the escalating aggression in the occupied West Bank and Al-Quds. The European Union has announced a review of trade ties, and the United Kingdom has paused talks on expanding its trade agreement with "Israel". Both Germany and France have warned of potential diplomatic consequences due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Even US President Donald Trump recently criticized the blockade, urging a swift end to the war, noting that "Palestinians there are starving," following a minor easing of restrictions.

Earlier this week, the UAE summoned the Israeli ambassador in Abu Dhabi to protest a far-right rally in Al-Quds, which was allowed to proceed despite open calls for extreme violence against Palestinians.

Next month, Saudi Arabia and France are scheduled to co-host a UN conference aimed at reviving the two-state solution. France is considering formal recognition of a Palestinian state, and Riyadh hopes other nations will follow. In response, "Israel" has announced plans to expand illegal settlements in the West Bank, moves observers say are intended to obstruct any momentum toward a Palestinian state and occupy more Palestinian land.