In a first, Saudi Arabia hosts Israeli delegation on territory

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
11 Sep 2023 00:32

Israeli media cite an Israeli official as saying that an Israeli delegation of nine staffers is currently in Saudi Arabia for a UNESCO meeting.

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization logo is pictured on the entrance at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris, Oct. 17, 2016 (AP)

Israeli media reported that, in an unprecedented step, an Israeli delegation was allowed to enter Saudi Arabia to attend the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting, Ynet reported.

The website stated that the delegation consists of four Israeli representatives, namely Deputy Director Arbel Amir Weissbrod, the ambassador to international organizations in Paris Haim Asraf, a representative of the Antiquities Authority, and a representative of the Israeli Ministry of Education.

The Israeli website also noted that the Saudi authorities did not allow the entry of Israeli occupation Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Education Minister Yoav Kisch but granted visas to the senior Israeli representatives instead.

On its part, The Times of "Israel" cited on Sunday an Israeli official as saying that an Israeli delegation of nine staffers is currently in Saudi Arabia as observers at the UNESCO meeting.

This comes as last week, Israeli occupation ministers withdrew their request for participation in the meeting after the US State Department warned that such a step might pressure Saudi Arabia and negatively impact the Saudi-Israeli path toward normalization.

Israeli media indicated that according to the US, the advancement in communication to reach a normalization agreement is more valuable than having Israeli ministers attend the UNESCO meeting in Riyadh.

Bassem Naim, head of the boycott and anti-normalization campaign, stressed that "these normalization steps are unacceptable."

Naim also denounced "any attempts to gradually domesticate the Arab and Muslim mind to accept this [Israeli] entity as a natural body in the region."

"Is it reasonable for the kingdom, with its national and religious standing, to reward this racist and fascist Zionist government by opening the region's doors wide for their malicious projects?", Naim said, warning of the danger of this path and its repercussions, not only for the Palestinian cause, but for the entire region, its future, and its generations.

This comes shortly after Axios reported a scheduled visit by Brett McGurk, White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, to Saudi Arabia.

The website cited four US and Palestinian sources familiar with the issue as saying that McGurk "is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia this week to meet with senior Palestinian officials and discuss a potential Palestinian component of a possible mega-deal between the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Israel."

According to the sources, "In Saudi Arabia, McGurk is expected to meet with Hussein al-Sheikh, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' deputy, Majed Faraj, the Palestinian intelligence chief, and Majdi Khaldi, Abbas' diplomatic advisor."

The Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia looks to resume financial aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on the condition that the Palestinian authorities crack down on "militant groups and curb violence in the West Bank."

Saudi Arabia's move is believed to be part of a concrete effort for the Kingdom to "legitimize" "any eventual agreement" with the Israeli occupation. In exchange for funding the PA, Riyadh believes that it would be able to push back on critics accusing it of "sacrificing" the Palestinian people and their efforts to establish an independent state, according to the WSJ.

The Palestinian Authority will be sending a senior delegation to Saudi Arabia next week to hold talks with Saudi officials on "what the kingdom can do in talks with Israel to advance flickering hopes of creating a Palestinian state," the WSJ wrote, citing Saudi and Palestinian officials informed on the matter.

The WSJ report coincided with The Washington Post's comments on the difficulty in reaching a Saudi-Israeli normalization agreement, which discussed the secret meeting that brought together Israeli Occupation Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush.

The Washington Post cited critics as saying that Cohen's confirmation of the meeting not only endangered al-Mangoush's security but also risked intimidating other governments that might be silently looking toward rapprochement with the Israeli occupation.