AMMAN: Israel has barred a planned visit by foreign ministers from five Arab nations to the occupied West Bank, prompting sharp condemnation from the regional bloc. The delegation had been scheduled to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Sunday.
According to a statement by Jordan’s foreign ministry on Saturday, the ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates denounced Israel’s decision to block the visit. Turkey’s foreign minister and the Arab League’s secretary-general were also expected to join the delegation.
Israel, which controls the West Bank’s borders and airspace, said Friday that it would not cooperate with the visit. An Israeli official described the planned meeting as a “provocative” attempt to advance a Palestinian state, claiming such a state would become “a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel.”
Had the visit proceeded, it would have marked the first time a Saudi foreign minister visited the occupied West Bank. Prince Faisal bin Farhan was set to lead the delegation.
The diplomatic dispute comes as Israel announced the approval of 22 new Jewish settlements in the West Bank this week, moves widely condemned by the international community as violations of international law and major barriers to a two-state solution.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant visited one of the new settlement sites on Friday and vowed to “build a Jewish Israeli state” in what he referred to as “our historical homeland.”
In a parallel diplomatic effort, Saudi Arabia and France are slated to co-host a major international conference at the United Nations in June aimed at reviving the long-stalled two-state solution. French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested he could formally recognize a Palestinian state during the summit, sparking backlash from Israeli officials.
Despite previous speculation about Saudi-Israeli normalization, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has repeatedly stated that recognition of Israel will not come without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Hamas Responds to US Ceasefire Proposal with Conditional Offer
In related developments, Hamas confirmed Saturday it had submitted a response to a US-backed ceasefire proposal conveyed by special envoy Steve Witkoff. The group offered to release 10 living Israeli prisoners and return the bodies of 18 others in exchange for an undisclosed number of Palestinian detainees.
While Hamas did not confirm acceptance of the deal, it described the response as a reflection of its “responsibility towards our people and their suffering.”
The White House previously indicated that Israel had pre-approved the proposal. Israeli leaders have since warned Hamas to either accept the offer or face “annihilation.”
Negotiations for a new truce have been stalled since the collapse of a previous ceasefire on March 18. US President Donald Trump said Friday that the parties were “very close to an agreement.”
Sources close to the talks suggest the proposed deal includes a 60-day truce—extendable to 70 days—and a phased prisoner exchange. The first week would see the release of five living prisoners and nine bodies, followed by further exchanges the following week.
