Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister says Israel blocking Ramallah meeting proof of ‘extremism’

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Sunday that the Israeli government’s refusal to allow a delegation of Arab ministers to the occupied West Bank showed its “extremism and rejection of peace.”

“Israel’s refusal of the committee’s visit to the West Bank embodies and confirms its extremism and refusal of any serious attempts for (a) peaceful pathway … It strengthens our will to double our diplomatic efforts within the international community to face this arrogance,” Prince Faisa said.

The top Saudi diplomat was speaking from Jordan after a meeting of the ministerial committee on the war in Gaza that was assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas joined the meeting via video call.

The meeting in Jordan comes after Israel blocked the ministers’ plans to travel to the occupied West Bank on Sunday.

The foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates had been expected to take part alongside Turkey and the secretary-general of the Arab League.

Prince Faisal also underscored that the creation of an independent Palestinian state is the only viable solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“As Arabs and Muslims, we are only going to accept a Palestinian state,” Prince Faisal said.

“Countries that publicly adopt the statement that the only solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict is the two-state solution, should [emphasize] this position by recognizing [the state of] Palestine.”