Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Beirut: The Syrian delegation's visit to Beirut, which was scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed until next week
Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza: The total number of Palestinians killed due to famine and malnutrition has risen to 313, including 119 children
Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip: 10 people, including two children, have died of starvation in the past 24 hours
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: US envoy Tom Barrack cancels his visit to Tyre and al-Khiam amid popular protests
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Lebanon: Israeli occupation forces carried out an explosion in the southern border town of Kfar Kila
Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.

Saudi delegation cancels visit to Palestine's Al-Aqsa fearing backlash

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Al Mayadeen
  • 28 Sep 2023 10:23
  • 4 Shares
4 Min Read

Israeli media says that the Saudi officials have canceled plans to visit Al-Aqsa holy mosque due to anticipated criticisms and repercussions.

  • x
  • Saudi delegation cancels visit to Palestine's Al-Aqsa fearing backlash
    An individual waving the Palestinian flag in front of the Al-Aqsa Holy Mosque in occupied Al-Quds occupied Palestine in 2022 (Social media)

The Saudi delegation, led by the ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, Nayef bin Bandar al-Sudairi, canceled its scheduled visit on Wednesday to the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque after several Palestinian parties voiced their criticism of the plan and called for the prevention of such a visit, which is seen as a new step toward normalizing ties with the Israeli occupation entity.

Al-Sudairy was recently appointed by Riyadh as its non-resident ambassador to the PA. The official arrived in Ramallah on Tuesday to discuss Saudi Arabia's normalization efforts with the entity and present his credentials to President Mahmoud Abbas, marking the first visit by a Saudi delegation to Palestine in three decades. 

Israeli media commented on this matter, stating, "The Saudi ambassador to the Palestinian Authority canceled his Al-Aqsa visit due to anticipated criticisms and repercussions."

Read more: Top US, PA envoys to meet in Saudi Arabia... What's on the Horizon?

The announcement of the visit "faced reactions, with some calling for its prohibition, seeing it as a sign of normalization with Israel. After understanding the sensitivities from their hosts in Ramallah [Mahmoud Abbas], the Saudis postponed the visit."

Saudi Arabia's delegation had planned to visit the holy mosque to allegedly commemorate the birth anniversary of the Prophet Mohammed PBUH, occurring on Wednesday and Thursday. However, al-Sudairi informed his hosts in Ramallah, as per Haaretz, that he "does not intend to go to the Al-Aqsa Mosque but promised to visit in the future."

In response to an inquiry by Haaretz, the Israeli occupation foreign ministry claimed that it "was unaware of this plan." According to Palestinian reports cited by the newspaper, the Saudis "requested not to publicize the date and details of the visit to prevent any Israeli interference in the visit's agenda and also to prevent potential Palestinian protests against normalization with Israel."

Declining Saudi support for normalization

Related News

Hamas slams PA's Abbas unilateral PLO council decision

Saudi Foreign Minister to visit occupied West Bank in rare step

A recent poll conducted by the Washington Institute for Near East Studies in Saudi Arabia found that the number of Saudi citizens in favor of normalizing ties with the occupation entity has declined by nearly 20 percent in recent years.

From around 40 percent of the kingdom's population supporting this move earlier, the recent survey revealed that this number is at approximately 33 percent.

The poll also showed that vis-a-vis normalization, Saudis believed that the Palestinian ambitions come in second place, while 36% agree that it is "important" to gain "new steps toward political rights and better economic opportunities for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza." 

Moreover, the results showed that not only has the percentage of support for normalization been declining over the years, but also there has been a declining reliance of Saudi public opinion on American guarantees as the report highlights "American commitments are unreliable lately."

Normalization for nuclear power

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman confirmed earlier this month that Riyadh is on a trajectory towards normalizing ties with "Israel."

"Every day we get closer," he said in an interview with Fox News released last Wednesday.

In response to a question on the requirements of a normalization deal, the de facto Saudi leader claimed that "the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part." Adding that there had been "good negotiations" so far. Additionally, he expressed Saudi's intent to pursue nuclear capabilities if Iran does so.

Read more: WSJ: Saudi Arabia offers PA funds resumption... but at what cost?

On this matter, Yair Lapid, "Israel's" opposition leader, expressed reservations about Saudi Arabia procuring a nuclear program. Echoing similar sentiments, Israeli Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, pointed out that no normalization deal should risk the entity's security, hinting at the possible concessions Saudi might demand.

Israeli reports suggest that Saudi Arabia has outlined stringent terms for normalization. These terms include gaining "Israel's" approval for uranium enrichment, constructing a nuclear facility for peaceful use, and establishing a US-Saudi defense pact among others.

However, US officials have cautioned that any agreement with these conditions will not be in the near future.

  • Mahmoud Abbas
  • Palestine
  • Israel
  • Al-Aqsa Mosque
  • Nayef Al-Sudairi
  • Palestinian authority
  • Saudi Arabia

Most Read

Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025
Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks (Photo by Mahdi Rtail)

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Palestinians pray over the bodies of people who were killed in an Israeli military strike, during their funeral outside Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, Friday, August 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel’s' 'double-tap' strike on Gaza hospital must be probed: UN

Elon Musk flashes his t-shirt that reads DOGE to the media as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, Sunday, March 9, 2025 (AP)
Technology

Whistleblower warns DOGE mishandled social security data of millions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives for a joint press conference with President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

House Democrats urge Rubio to admit injured Gaza kids after visa halt

The Microsoft Sign at the Redmond headquarters sprayed in red during a protest against 'Israel' using the company's cloud services, Redmond, Washington DC, United States, August 21, 2025 (Social Media)
Politics

Current, ex-Microsoft staff arrested in sit-in against Israeli ties

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS