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Israel's blocking of West Bank delegation shows 'they only want violence', says Saudi FM
'Israel's move illustrates and confirms its extremism and its rejection of any serious attempt to engage in a diplomatic path toward peace,' Prince Faisal bin Farhan said
- PUBLISHED: Sun 1 Jun 2025, 6:42 PM
- By:
- AFP
Israel's blocking of a visit by Arab diplomats to the occupied West Bank showed its "rejection of... a diplomatic path to peace", Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Sunday.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Amman with his Jordanian, Egyptian and Bahraini counterparts, Prince Faisal said Israel's move "illustrates and confirms its extremism and its rejection of any serious attempt to engage in a diplomatic path toward peace... it is clear that they only want violence."
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The foreign ministers of five Arab countries who had planned to visit the occupied West Bank on Saturday condemned Israel's decision to block their plans.
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The ministers condemned "Israel's decision to ban the delegation's visit to Ramallah (on Sunday) to meet with the president of the State of Palestine, Mahmud Abbas", the Jordanian foreign ministry said.
Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE had been expected to take part alongside Turkey and the secretary-general of the Arab League.
Israel had announced late Friday that it would not cooperate, effectively blocking the visit as it controls the territory's borders and airspace.
Abbas "intended to host in Ramallah a provocative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab countries to discuss the promotion of the establishment of a Palestinian state," said a statement attributed to an unidentified official.
"Such a state would undoubtedly become a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel. Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security."
Had the visit gone ahead, the delegation's head Prince Faisal bin Farhan would have become the first Saudi foreign minister to visit the West Bank.
