Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is to visit Ramallah in the occupied West Bank amid international outrage over Israel’s continued attacks on the Gaza Strip. This will be the first visit to the West Bank by a top Saudi diplomat in 58 years. It is being seen as a significant diplomatic step by Saudi Arabia on the Palestinian issue.
A Palestinian embassy source told AFP on Friday that a ministerial delegation led by the Saudi foreign minister will visit Ramallah on Sunday. During the visit, they will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. However, Israel has threatened to block the Saudi-led visit. A country official told US media CNN that they consider the visit “provocative” and will not cooperate in any way. The official added that they are not involved in the Palestinian Authority (PA) plan for the visit.
CNN reported that an Arab delegation consisting of the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey is planning to meet with Palestinian leaders in Ramallah. However, Israel controls access to the West Bank, so their visit needs approval.
Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh told CNN that Prince Faisal will lead the Saudi delegation to Sunday’s meeting. They will also be joined by top diplomats from other Arab countries.
The Palestinian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mazen Ghoneim, told Saudi state media Al-Akhbariya that the visit would send a strong message from the Arab and Muslim world that the Palestinian issue is still a central issue for them.
An Israeli source told CNN that they were aware of the visit but did not approve it. Shaul Ariely, head of the think tank T-Politography, said the visit would be the first high-level Saudi delegation since the 1967 occupation of the West Bank. It is a show of Saudi support for the Palestinian Authority since the start of the Gaza war.
He said, “This is a dramatic change. Saudi Arabia has made it clear that it supports a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.” The visit comes at a time when efforts to normalize Saudi-Israeli relations have stalled due to the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza and international pressure is growing to recognize a Palestinian state.
Sources: CNN, Daily Sabah and AFP.