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
Lebanese President: Israeli aggression on Blida took place in aftermath of meeting of ceasefire monitoring committee.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asks Commander of Lebanese Army to confront any Israeli incursion into liberated Lebanese territory in the South.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli aircraft launch series of strikes on area of Jarmaq, South Lebanon.
Reuters: Afghanistan and Pakistan agree to restart peace talks in Istanbul.
Al-Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Blida municipality building two hours after occupying it, and the Lebanese army enters
Pakistani army: 6 soldiers and 7 militants killed in clash near the Afghan border
Israeli media: Sirens sound in the settlement of Kerem Shalom in the Gaza envelope area
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: We still believe in dialogue and prioritize diplomatic solutions with Pakistan; though we are ready for all possibilities.
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: Pakistan purposely obstructed negotiations in Turkey by making unrealistic demands.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: More than 70 martyrs in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn.

Saudis delaying issuing Israeli ministers visas to the Kingdom

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Israeli media
  • 5 Sep 2023 00:06
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

Israeli media describe what happened as a "red sign" by Saudi Arabia in the face of "Israel", amid continued talks to normalize relations between the two sides.

  • x
  • Saudi Arabia
    A Saudi Arabian flag flies over the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul (AFP)

Israeli media reported on Monday that Saudi authorities delayed granting visas to Israeli occupation ministers to attend a UNESCO conference scheduled to be held next week, prompting the Israelis to cancel their attendance so far.

The Israeli Channel 13 cited senior Israeli sources as saying that Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Education Minister Yoav Kisch were supposed to arrive in Saudi Arabia to attend the conference, but the Israelis decided to cancel their participation due to Saudi procrastination.

Channel 13's political affairs commentator claimed that the Israeli decision came upon advice from the US after talks between American and Israeli sources in recent weeks, suggesting that the Israeli presence in Saudi Arabia is "premature and puts Riyadh in an embarrassing situation."

The Israeli channel described what happened as a "red sign" by Saudi Arabia in the face of "Israel", amid continued talks to normalize relations between the two sides.

Although Israeli occupation ministers will not head to Saudi Arabia, "very low-level" professional bodies will attend the conference, the channel noted.

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 this week.

Related News

Israeli military tech company to open first branch in UAE: Report

Hezbollah arms main obstacle to Lebanon normalization: Israeli media

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."

Last week, 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 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," 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.

Read more: Israeli weightlifters to take part in Saudi Arabia hosted competition

  • Normalization with Israel
  • Riyadh
  • Israel
  • Eli Cohen
  • Saudi Arabia

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Hi-tech holocaust: Microsoft’s role in Gaza genocide

Microsoft's role in world’s first AI-driven genocide, in Gaza, exposed

  • Technology
  • 28 Oct 2025
What Marr evidently didn't seem to understand was that Hedges isn't saying that Western journalists manipulate the truth, but that they systematically amplify Israeli narratives they know are false. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Western journalists know they have a case to answer for their betrayal of Gaza, and it frightens them

  • Opinion
  • 24 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Displaced Sudanese who fled El-Fasher after the city fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), rest near the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region (AP)
Politics

UAE directly funded RSF, leading to fall of El-Fasher: Sudan

'You’re not welcome in Greece': Israelis face port protests
Politics

'You’re not welcome in Greece': Israelis face port protests

This photo released by the Israeli military on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, shows ground operations inside the Gaza Strip (AP)
Politics

IOF soldier who fought in Gaza, Lebanon denied entry to Czech Republic

UN inquiry exposes 'Israel’s' four genocidal crimes against Gaza
Politics

'Israel' committed four genocidal acts in Gaza, UN inquiry finds

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