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Rabat – Israel has refused to allow foreign ministers from five Arab countries to visit Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the city of Ramallah, located in the occupied West Bank.
Israel controls all entry into the occupied territory, including its borders and airspace, and said it would not cooperate with the planned visit.
An Israeli official said the meeting, which was meant to promote the creation of a Palestinian state, was “provocative” and accused the Palestinian Authority of not condemning the October 7 attack by Hamas.
“Such a state would undoubtedly become a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel. Israel will not co-operate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security,” said the official.
According to reports, foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar were expected to attend the meeting.
The five countries strongly condemned Israel’s decision. The Jordanian foreign ministry said the ministers rejected the move to block their visit with Palestinian President Abbas.
The delegation considers the move a “blatant violation” that “reflects the arrogance of the Israeli government” and its “disregard for international law,” added the statement.
Earlier this week, Israeli soldiers fired what they called “warning shots” at diplomats from Arab and European countries during a visit to the West Bank.
Also this week, Israel announced plans to approve 22 new settlements in the West Bank. These settlements are considered illegal under international law and are seen as a major roadblock to peace.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and France are planning to co-host a peace conference at the United Nations in June to revive talks on the two-state solution.
Yet Israeli forces have in recent weeks shown no desire to halt or end their genocidal war on Gaza. According to Gaza’s health ministry, the death toll in the Palestinian enclave has reached 54,381 since October 7, 2023.
Gaza has become the “hungriest place on Earth,” the UN lamented recently, warning that the entire population of 2.3 million people faces “catastrophic hunger.”
