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Israel has blocked several Arab foreign ministers from entering the occupied West Bank, labeling the move as provocative and intended to promote the establishment of a Palestinian state.
This decision from Israel came before a planned visit to Ramallah, the administrative center of the Palestinian Authority, by a high-level delegation that included Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud. It would have been the first official visit by a senior Saudi official to the territory, which Israel seized during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Successive U.S. administrations have aimed to normalize relations between the kingdom and Israel.
The delegation also included foreign ministers from Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain—all Arab states with diplomatic ties to Israel.
International pressure on Israel has increased in recent weeks, especially regarding its renewed offensive in Gaza and the severe humanitarian situation in the area. On Saturday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas conveyed its response to international mediators regarding a recent ceasefire proposal by Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for the Middle East.
Hamas expressed willingness to release 10 living Israeli hostages and the bodies of 18 others taken during the October 7, 2023 attack, which initiated the Gaza war, in exchange for "an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners" held by Israel. The group also stated its aim to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensure the flow of aid to their people.
A diplomat familiar with the talks mentioned that while Hamas responded positively, they had clarifications and points to discuss further.
Witkoff’s new framework proposal suggested a 60-day pause in the fighting, the release of approximately half of the 58 remaining Israeli hostages, and "good faith negotiations" towards a permanent end to the conflict.
The Trump administration indicated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the terms, although he has consistently opposed ending the fighting until Hamas is completely dismantled.
Additionally, on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Hamas’s military chief, Mohammed Sinwar, along with other senior commanders, were killed in a May 13 airstrike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The IDF reported that the group was targeted while in a tunnel beneath the city’s European hospital.
Sinwar assumed overall command of Hamas’s forces last year after most of the group’s other top leaders, including his brother Yahya, were previously killed by Israel.
An Israeli official stated that the refusal to permit the Arab delegation into the West Bank was due to an intention by the Palestinian Authority to convene a "provocative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab countries" to discuss promoting the establishment of a Palestinian state, which the official said would pose a security risk to Israel.
The official added that Israel would not cooperate with moves aimed at undermining its security.
Much of the international community views the West Bank, alongside East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, as the foundation for a future Palestinian state. France and Saudi Arabia are planning to host a summit in New York next month on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with several western governments, including the UK, considering the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Jordan’s foreign ministry described the denial of entry to the delegation as a “blatant violation” of Israel’s obligations as the occupying power in the West Bank, reflecting Israel’s disregard for international law and its continued measures.
The ministry stated that the delegation’s visit to Ramallah from Amman by helicopter was postponed after Israel denied the use of the airspace it controls.
The Palestinian ambassador in Riyadh communicated on Saudi state news television channel Al-Ekhbariya that the visit sought to gather support for a two-state solution ahead of the New York conference.
On Thursday, the Israeli government announced the establishment of 22 new settlements across the West Bank, marking the largest expansion in years, which many governments deem illegal. Israeli ministers characterized the decision as a “decisive response” to Palestinian militancy and a “strategic move preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
Approximately 500,000 Jewish Israelis have settled in the West Bank over the past five decades, where around 3 million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule and partial autonomy administered by the Palestinian Authority.
Additional reporting by Ahmed Al Omran in Jeddah and Andrew England in London.
