Israel has refused to cooperate with an upcoming visit by Arab foreign ministers to the occupied West Bank, effectively blocking the trip, according to an Israeli official. The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, was reportedly preparing to travel to Ramallah.
Since Israel controls access to the West Bank’s borders and airspace, its approval is essential for any diplomatic visit to proceed.
“The Palestinian Authority, which still refuses to condemn the October 7 massacre, had planned to host a provocative meeting in Ramallah,” said the Israeli official on Friday.
“This meeting, meant to promote the creation of a Palestinian state, would lead to the founding of a terrorist entity in Israel’s heartland. Israel will not assist in actions that threaten its security.”
According to CNN and other sources, ministers from the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Turkey were also expected to participate in the visit alongside the Saudi foreign minister.
The Israeli statement follows a controversial announcement earlier this week that 22 new settlements would be established in the West Bank — a move widely condemned by the United Nations as a violation of international law and a significant roadblock to peace.
While visiting one of these newly approved areas, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz pledged to expand the “Jewish Israeli state” in the territory. He dismissed international support for Palestinian statehood as meaningless, saying:
“Such declarations will end up in the trash bin of history, while the State of Israel will continue to grow and thrive.”
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and France are set to co-host a UN-backed international conference in June aimed at reviving the two-state solution. Though Saudi Arabia was reportedly nearing a deal to normalise ties with Israel before the Gaza war, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has maintained that formal recognition would not happen without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
