The foreign ministers of several Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, have condemned Israel’s decision to bar their planned visit to the occupied West Bank. The delegation was due to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Sunday, but Israel, which controls access to the territory, announced it would not cooperate, effectively halting the trip. The Arab League’s secretary-general was also set to join the delegation in a move widely seen as symbolic support for Palestinian statehood.
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An Israeli official labelled the proposed meeting as “provocative,” claiming it would serve to promote the creation of what they described as a “terrorist state” in the heart of Israel. The cancellation of the visit comes shortly after Israel’s announcement of 22 new Jewish settlements in the West Bank, settlements the United Nations has deemed illegal under international law. Visiting one of these sites, Defence Minister Israel Katz reiterated Israel’s intention to build a “Jewish Israeli state” within the disputed territory.
Had the visit gone ahead, Prince Faisal bin Farhan would have been the first Saudi foreign minister to visit the West Bank, marking a potential milestone in regional diplomacy. Analysts argue that Israel’s refusal reveals how much relations with Saudi Arabia have soured since the war in Gaza began. Firas Maksad, an expert at Eurasia Group, stated the incident reflects a shift in Saudi strategy—from conditional normalisation with Israel to forming a broader international alliance to support Palestinian aspirations.
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The diplomatic fallout occurs as Saudi Arabia and France prepare to co-host an international conference at the United Nations in June, aimed at reviving the two-state solution. French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested that France may officially recognise a Palestinian state at the event, a stance strongly opposed by Israeli officials. Amid escalating violence in Gaza and a worsening humanitarian crisis, global pressure continues to mount on Israel to engage in peace efforts and reconsider its position.
