The foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain were to travel to Ramallah for a meeting today with PA President Mahmoud Abbas, but were blocked from making the trip by Israel. In a joint statement, the ministers denounced the move as a “violation of Israel’s obligations as an occupying power” and said it reflected “the arrogance of the Israeli government, its disregard for international law, and its ongoing illegitimate policies,” reported Middle East Eye. The Palestinian ambassador to Saudi Arabia told local media the visit was meant to underscore the importance of the Palestinian cause to Arabs and Muslims.
An Israeli official, speaking to the Ynet news outlet, described the planned meeting as a “provocative” attempt to promote the establishment of a Palestinian state. “Such a state would undoubtedly become a terrorist state in the heart of the land of Israel,” the official claimed. “Israel will not cooperate with efforts that threaten its security.”
