Saudi Arabia calls Israel barring Arab ministers trip ‘extremism and rejection of peace'
Saudi Arabia has accused Israel of 'extremism and rejection of peace' after it blocked a planned visit by Arab foreign ministers to the occupied West Bank.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud made the remarks during a joint news conference in Jordan's capital, Amman, on Sunday with his counterparts from Jordan, Egypt, and Bahrain.
'Israel's refusal of the committee's visit to the West Bank embodies and confirms its extremism and refusal of any serious attempts for [a] peaceful pathway … It strengthens our will to double our diplomatic efforts within the international community to face this arrogance,' Prince Faisal said.
His comments followed Israel's decision to block the Arab delegation from reaching Ramallah, where they were set to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had planned the visit as part of efforts to support Palestinian diplomacy amid Israel's ongoing war on Gaza.
Israel controls the airspace and borders of the West Bank, and on Friday announced it would not grant permission for the visit.
Prince Faisal's trip to the West Bank would have marked the first such visit by a top Saudi official in recent memory.
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said blocking the trip was another example of how Israel was 'killing any chance of a just and comprehensive' Arab-Israeli settlement.
An international conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is due to be held in New York from June 17 to 20 to discuss the issue of Palestinian statehood.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said the conference would cover security arrangements after a ceasefire in Gaza and reconstruction plans to ensure Palestinians would remain on their land and foil any Israeli plans to evict them.
Israel has come under increasing pressure from the United Nations and European countries, which favour a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, under which an independent Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel. (Agencies)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
4 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Two suspected Ugandan rebels killed in Kampala explosion
Two suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels, including a female suicide bomber, were killed in an explosion near a prominent Catholic shrine in Uganda's capital, Kampala, as crowds gathered to mark Martyrs' Day. The blast on Tuesday took place in the upscale suburb of Munyonyo, outside the Munyonyo Martyrs' Shrine, where Ugandans were assembling to commemorate 19th-century Christians executed for their faith. No civilian injuries were reported. 'A counterterrorism unit this morning intercepted and neutralised two armed terrorists in Munyonyo,' said army spokesman Chris Magezi on X. He confirmed one of the assailants was a female suicide bomber 'laden with powerful explosives'. Footage broadcast by NBS Television, an independent outlet, showed a destroyed motorbike and debris scattered across the road. Police Chief Abas Byakagaba told NBS the explosion occurred while 'two people were on a motorcycle,' adding: 'The good thing, though, is that there were no people nearby who were injured.' There has been no immediate claim of responsibility. While Ugandan authorities are still piecing together the events, Magezi suggested the suspects were linked to the ADF, a rebel group that originated in Uganda in the 1990s but later relocated to eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ADF has pledged allegiance to ISIL (ISIS) and was behind a spate of deadly bombings in Uganda in 2021. The group has been accused by the United Nations of widespread atrocities, including the killing of thousands of civilians in the region. Martyrs' Day is one of Uganda's most significant religious holidays, drawing thousands of pilgrims annually. Security forces have increased patrols across the capital in the aftermath of the incident.
Qatar Tribune
9 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Prime minister, Finnish FM discuss bilateral relations, Gaza developments
DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has received a phone call from Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland HE Elina Valtonen. During the call, they reviewed relations between the two countries and ways to support and strengthen them. They also discussed developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, in addition to a number of topics of common interest. During the call, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs affirmed the State of Qatar's aspiration to advance relations with the Republic of Finland to broader horizons of cooperation and partnership.
Qatar Tribune
9 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar's candidate reelected to Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
NEW YORK: The States Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination reelected the State of Qatar's candidate, HE Dr Sheikha Abdulla Al Misnad, to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination for the period of 2026-2030, with the support of 163 States Parties to the Convention, at the United Nations headquarters in New York. In a statement on this occasion, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani affirmed that the reelection of Dr Sheikha Abdulla Al Misnad to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination embodies the prestigious position enjoyed by the State of Qatar in the field of promoting and protecting human rights. It also reflects international appreciation for Qatar's national expertise and its active and constructive role in international forums. Dr Sheikha Abdulla Al Misnad was previously elected to the Committee for the period of 2020-2024, as the States Parties to the Convention elect members of the Committee for four-year terms. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is the UN body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which was adopted on Dec 21, 1965 and entered into force in 1969.
