AMMAN: Israel’s decision to stop an Arab delegation from visiting Ramallah and meeting with Palestinian officials “represents a blatant violation of Israel’s obligations as the occupying power,” Jordan’s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
Members of the ministerial committee, appointed by the Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit on Gaza, have decided to postpone their visit to Ramallah after Israel denied the delegation access to the airspace over the occupied West Bank, which it controls.
“It reflects the extent of the Israeli government’s arrogance, its disregard for international law, and its continued illegitimate measures and policies that besiege the brotherly Palestinian people and their legitimate leadership, perpetuate the occupation, and undermine the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace,” the foreign ministry said.
According to Palestinian Authority officials, the delegation included ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
An Israeli official stated that the ministers were planning to attend what was described as “a provocative meeting” aimed at advancing efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
“Such a state would undoubtedly become a terrorist state in the heart of the land of Israel,” the official said. “Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security.”
A Palestinian Authority official said that the issue of whether the meeting in Ramallah would be able to go ahead was under discussion.
The decision comes ahead of an international conference on Palestinian statehood, scheduled to take place in New York from June 17 to 20. The event will be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.
Israel is facing growing pressure from the United Nations and several European nations that support a two-state solution—envisioning an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel—as a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that recognizing a Palestinian state was not only a “moral duty but a political necessity.”
This week, Israel announced plans to establish 22 new settlements in the West Bank—a move widely condemned by the United Nations as a violation of international law. These settlements are considered one of the key obstacles to achieving a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
On Friday, visiting one of the areas slated for recognition, Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to build a “Jewish Israeli state” in the West Bank.
