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Arab ministers call Israel 'arrogant' after it 'bans' a planned West Bank visit
Israel has come under fire from five Arab nations after it blocked a planned visit by their foreign ministers to the occupied West Bank. The ministers were scheduled to meet Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah. read more
The foreign ministers of five Arab countries have condemned Israel for blocking their planned visit to the occupied West Bank this weekend.
The ministers denounced '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 in a statement on Saturday.
Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were expected to attend the meeting in the occupied West Bank, along with Türkiye.
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However, Israel announced late on Friday that it would not permit the meeting to take place. As Israel controls the borders and airspace of the Palestinian territory, the ministers would have required Israeli approval to enter from Jordan.
An Israeli official said the Palestinian Authority — which 'still refuses to condemn the October 7 massacre' — had planned to host what they described as a 'provocative' meeting in Ramallah aimed at promoting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
This is a developing story.

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