Arab Ministers Decry Israel's Ban on Delegation Visit to Ramallah
Jordan's Foreign Ministry condemns Israel's refusal for an Arab delegation to enter the West Bank, as tensions rise over Palestinian statehood discussions.
DUBAI: Israel's recent decision to bar an Arab ministerial delegation from visiting Ramallah and engaging with Palestinian officials has been condemned by Jordan’s foreign affairs ministry as a significant breach of Israel's obligations under international law.
In a formal statement, the ministry criticized the refusal, stating it exemplifies the Israeli government's 'arrogance' and 'disregard for international law.'
The ministerial committee, created during an extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit focused on Gaza, opted to postpone the planned visit after Israel denied the delegation passage through the airspace of the occupied West Bank, which remains under Israeli control.
The Jordanian foreign ministry characterized the denial as further evidence of 'illegitimate measures and policies' that undermine the Palestinian leadership and diminish prospects for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
The delegation consisted of ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to Palestinian Authority officials, entry to the West Bank requires Israeli permission, which the ministers were unable to obtain.
An Israeli official labeled the planned meeting a 'provocative' act, asserting that discussions aimed at establishing a Palestinian state would likely lead to the creation of a 'terrorist state' in the region.
This official reaffirmed that Israel would not support endeavors perceived as detrimental to its security.
In response, a Palestinian Authority official stated that discussions regarding the feasibility of the meeting in Ramallah were ongoing.
This event unfolds in the context of an upcoming international conference slated for June 17-20 in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, to address the matter of Palestinian statehood.
Increasing international pressure is being placed on Israel from the United Nations and various European nations advocating for a two-state solution, which envisions an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the necessity of recognizing a Palestinian state, framing it as both a 'moral duty' and a 'political necessity.'
Simultaneously, Israel announced the intention to establish 22 new settlements in the West Bank, a move consistently condemned by the United Nations as illegal under international law, and which poses significant challenges to peace efforts between Israelis and Palestinians.
During a visit to one of the proposed settlement areas, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed his commitment to creating a 'Jewish Israeli state' in the West Bank, dismissing any recognition of a Palestinian state by foreign countries as irrelevant, insisting it would 'be thrown into the trash bin of history.'
In a formal statement, the ministry criticized the refusal, stating it exemplifies the Israeli government's 'arrogance' and 'disregard for international law.'
The ministerial committee, created during an extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit focused on Gaza, opted to postpone the planned visit after Israel denied the delegation passage through the airspace of the occupied West Bank, which remains under Israeli control.
The Jordanian foreign ministry characterized the denial as further evidence of 'illegitimate measures and policies' that undermine the Palestinian leadership and diminish prospects for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
The delegation consisted of ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to Palestinian Authority officials, entry to the West Bank requires Israeli permission, which the ministers were unable to obtain.
An Israeli official labeled the planned meeting a 'provocative' act, asserting that discussions aimed at establishing a Palestinian state would likely lead to the creation of a 'terrorist state' in the region.
This official reaffirmed that Israel would not support endeavors perceived as detrimental to its security.
In response, a Palestinian Authority official stated that discussions regarding the feasibility of the meeting in Ramallah were ongoing.
This event unfolds in the context of an upcoming international conference slated for June 17-20 in New York, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, to address the matter of Palestinian statehood.
Increasing international pressure is being placed on Israel from the United Nations and various European nations advocating for a two-state solution, which envisions an independent Palestinian state existing alongside Israel.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the necessity of recognizing a Palestinian state, framing it as both a 'moral duty' and a 'political necessity.'
Simultaneously, Israel announced the intention to establish 22 new settlements in the West Bank, a move consistently condemned by the United Nations as illegal under international law, and which poses significant challenges to peace efforts between Israelis and Palestinians.
During a visit to one of the proposed settlement areas, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed his commitment to creating a 'Jewish Israeli state' in the West Bank, dismissing any recognition of a Palestinian state by foreign countries as irrelevant, insisting it would 'be thrown into the trash bin of history.'
