Israel's blocking of West Bank delegation shows 'they only want violence', says Saudi FM
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."
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.
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
9 hours ago
- The National
'No Other Land' directors fume as Israeli military blocks media trip to view settler violence
'The next time your politicians call this country the only democracy in the Middle East, film this so that they can see how democratic it really is. Film the reality and truth of what they're doing to us,' Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra told dozens of international journalists at the entrance to his village in the occupied West Bank, which had unexpectedly turned into a heavily manned Israeli military checkpoint. 'The only democracy in the Middle East is preventing international media from filming villages after settlers attacked them.' Exactly three months ago to the day, Adra, along with No Other Land co-directors Yuval Abraham and Hamdan Ballal, was on stage at the 97th Academy Awards to receive the award for Best Documentary. It was the first time a Palestinian film had won an Oscar. On Monday, those behind this remarkable achievement were reduced to arguing without success with masked Israeli forces to let their group through to the villages that have captured the world's attention. No Other Land documented the struggles of the residents of Masafer Yatta, a cluster of hamlets and villages, to stop the Israeli military from demolishing their communities. In the 1980s, the army designated it as a military training area, ordering residents to leave, a fate that has befallen many Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, particularly agricultural communities. Despite this, about 1,000 people have stayed in the area, including Adra and his family. The community has faced regular attacks from Israeli settlers. The violence intensified after the October 7, 2023 Hamas -led attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. With international attention focused on the war, Israeli ministers in the far-right government, many themselves prominent settlers themselves, urged the seizure of Palestinian land. 'I think the film made a huge difference in the opinions of people all over the world … but sadly it did not make a difference for the people who have power. Israel is an ally of your countries. Here it is blocking journalists from these allied countries from visiting and seeing these crimes being committed,' said Abraham, an Israeli Jew, who made the trip from Jerusalem to help Adra's tour. On Sunday evening, the Israeli army declared the village of Khirbet Khallet Al Dabaa, where the tour was set to take place, a closed military zone, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. The day before, Israeli forces arrested two foreign activists working to support the communities in Masafer Yatta. Attacks on these communities rose to critical levels in the months after No Other Land was released, a situation that the filmmakers tried to show the world's media on Monday. Ballal was brutally attacked by a mob of Israeli settlers in March. 'There is destruction of water wells, pipes and solar panels. Settlers have come into the village and set up in the area under military protection. They have attacked children and pregnant women,' Adra said. Addressing the Israeli troops, whose numbers soon swelled to include more soldiers, as well as civilian and border police, he said: 'I have so many videos of settlers here to attack us and shoot us and you do nothing. Right now when journalists are here to see this and interview people you come to prevent them.' A softly spoken soldier, face covered with a balaclava, only reiterated that his forces were there to 'keep the public order'. 'Last week had a lot of disturbance to the order,' he added. 'In this crossroads, no journalists, no guests, to keep the order in the area. Right here you are a public disturbance.' These mild exchanges were the extent of the confrontations on Monday. Even the arrival of a senior Palestinian Authority official to observe the situation caused little commotion. But hours after the media left, the reports of violence and intimidation against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank resumed, including the military reportedly shooting a minor and settlers using drones to intimidate Palestinian shepherds and their sheep near Bethlehem.
Dubai Eye
10 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Arab ministers call for immediate halt to aggression on Gaza
Ministers from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Palestine and Arab League have reiterated a call to halt the Israeli aggression on Gaza and step up efforts to urge more countries to recognise the State of Palestine. During the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit Ministerial Committee on Sunday, the officials pushed for an end to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip and urged Israel to allow the immediate and unconditional entry of humanitarian and medical aid into Gaza. They reemphasised the need to fulfill the Palestinian people's right to an independent, sovereign state on their national territory, adding that the two-state solution is the only path to achieving just and comprehensive peace. The virtual meeting was attended by King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Bahrain's Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, Egypt's Badr Abdelatty, Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, his deputy Hussein Al-Sheikh, and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa. It came after Israel blocked the committee's visit to Ramallah — a decision the committee said reflected Israel's arrogance and its violation of international law and legal obligations as an occupying power. The committee called on Israel to stop escalation in the West Bank, warning of the consequences of worsening the humanitarian situation and affirmed its full support to the Palestinian Authority, emphasising the need to accelerate reconstruction efforts.
Zawya
13 hours ago
- Zawya
NFPA signs MoU with Saudi Facility Management Association to upskill the Kingdom's facility management workforce
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Facility Management Association (SFMA), a key organization dedicated to advancing vocational training for facility managers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Formalized in Riyadh, the MoU sets the stage for a strategic collaboration focused on enhancing fire safety standards across the Kingdom. The MoU was signed by Olga Caledonia, director for International Business Development at NFPA, and Aiyd A. Alqahtani, board chairman at SFMA. As part of this strategic collaboration, NFPA and SFMA will work together to share knowledge, best practices, and research insights to strengthen fire and life safety awareness across Saudi Arabia. The partnership includes plans to co-host conferences, develop certification programs, and launch training initiatives focused on raising safety standards. By empowering facilities management professionals with the latest tools and expertise, the collaboration aims to drive meaningful improvements in fire and life safety across the Kingdom. 'Saudi Arabia is undergoing rapid development across sectors, from housing to hospitality, and from smart cities to iconic mega-projects, placing it firmly among the world's fastest-growing economies. With this scale and speed of growth, comes a heightened need for robust fire and life safety measures to ensure that progress is not compromised by preventable risks. Through our partnership with SFMA, we are proud to support this national momentum by bringing NFPA's nearly 130 years of expertise and a portfolio of more than 300 globally recognized codes and standards to assist in preventing loss,' said Olga Caledonia, director of International Business Development at NFPA. ' At SFMA, our mission is to elevate the professional capabilities of facilities managers throughout Saudi Arabia, in alignment with Vision 2030's goals of building safer, healthier, and more dynamic communities. This collaboration with NFPA will amplify our efforts by providing access to international best practices in fire and life safety, enriching training programs, and promoting knowledge exchange that will positively impact communities across the Kingdom, ' said, Aiyd A. Alqahtani, Board Chairman of SFMA. Additionally, SFMA members will benefit from access to a wide range of NFPA resources, including the NFPA Fire & Life Safety EcosystemTM, a framework that features extensive research and data on fires, including their economic impact. SFMA members will also have opportunities to participate in NFPA conferences and contribute to the development and review of relevant fire safety codes and standards. About the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) Founded in 1896, NFPA® is a global, self-funded, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. About The Saudi Facilities Management Association (SFMA) The Saudi Facilities Management Association was established on June 30, 2020 as a non-profit organization under the supervision of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. The association aims to promote the concept of facilities management in Saudi Arabia as a key component in achieving Saudi Vision 2030. Through a comprehensive and integrated strategic plan, the association strives to achieve its objectives by building effective and sustainable partnerships across government, private, and non-profit sectors. The association focuses on developing national expertise in all aspects of facilities management while providing high-quality services to support and advance this vital sector.
