The Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee strongly condemned Israel’s refusal to allow its members to enter Ramallah on the West Bank this week, calling the move a clear indication of Israeli extremism and disregard for international law.
In a joint press conference held at the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman on Sunday, the committee denounced the Israeli decision, which barred their scheduled visit to the city. The visit was to take place in the context of the ongoing efforts to push forward a two-state solution.
“This ban is a testament to Israel’s radical stance and its indifference towards international norms,” said the committee, which includes Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (who chairs the group), Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani, and Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul- Gheit.
During the press conference, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying diplomatic efforts to halt the Israeli assault on Gaza and to end the worsening humanitarian crisis there. They reiterated that the only viable path to a just and comprehensive peace lies in establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In response to Israel’s decision, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held a virtual meeting with the committee via video conference. He expressed his gratitude for the committee’s efforts and described it as a vital actor that has traversed the globe in pursuit of an end to the war in Gaza and in support of the Palestinian cause.
Abbas stressed the importance of leveraging the upcoming international peace conference in New York, scheduled for mid-June, as a pivotal moment for rallying regional and global support. He called for strong Arab and international participation, particularly from European and other nations that have yet to formally recognise the State of Palestine.
“We in the State of Palestine have undertaken wide-ranging governmental and constitutional reforms,” Abbas said. “Our policy is grounded in rejecting terrorism and violence and in opposing attacks on civilians, regardless of their nationality or affiliation.”
Hussein Al-Sheikh, vice president of the State of Palestine and deputy chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s (PLO) Executive Committee, described Israel’s decision to block the ministerial visit as a “dangerous escalation” that reflects “arrogant and provocative behaviour of an unprecedented nature.”
He confirmed that consultations are underway with Arab partners to determine an appropriate response.
The Israeli decision to prevent an Arab-Islamic ministerial delegation from entering Ramallah is being viewed by analysts as part of a long-standing strategy by the Israeli right to politically and economically weaken the Palestinian Authority (PA) and derail any prospects for a political resolution.
Raafat Al-Jawabra, an expert on Israeli affairs, told Al-Ahram Weekly that the Israeli right-wing project is fundamentally built on the rejection of a political solution. The most effective way to achieve this, he said, is by undermining and ultimately dismantling the PA.
“This latest political and diplomatic siege imposed by Israel is a continuation of earlier steps,” Al-Jawabra said, citing efforts to weaken the PA internally, delegitimise it in the eyes of Palestinians, and apply financial pressure by withholding tax revenues.
“Now it’s being escalated into an international blockade,” he said.
He described the move as a reflection of a strategic decision taken by extremist right-wing parties in Israel aimed at sabotaging the peace process by delegitimising the Palestinian leadership, all the while ignoring international criticism of the Israeli government’s actions.
Palestinian political analyst Ameer Makhoul argued that Israel’s refusal to permit the delegation led by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to enter Ramallah was a response to the growing momentum of Palestinian, Arab, and international diplomacy.
“This aggressive posture indicates Israel’s diminishing influence on the regional and international stages and even with the United States,” Makhoul said. “It’s part of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s broader battle to block anticipated recognitions of the State of Palestine and to disrupt the international peace conference co-sponsored by Saudi Arabia and France in New York.”
Makhoul added that while Netanyahu’s government may seek to obstruct the conference, it is unlikely that the ban will have a tangible effect on the preparations or the increasing international, especially European, support for Palestinian statehood.
“Blocking the delegation won’t deter the international shift in favour of Palestine,” he said, “nor will it please the Trump administration. And it certainly won’t alter the PA’s status, which Israel seeks to dismantle altogether.”
Political analyst Omar Al-Ghoul outlined three key outcomes likely to emerge from Israel’s decision. “First, the Arab states will remain committed to political engagement. Second, they will avoid moves that contradict American positions. Third, the Palestinian leadership must bring a new case before the International Court of Justice to reaffirm Palestinian rights,” he said.
Al-Ghoul also suggested that the issue could be raised at the United Nations General Assembly and that the upcoming peace conference in New York, scheduled for 17 June, should be leveraged to secure additional state recognitions and elevate Palestine’s status within the UN.
He stressed the importance of expanding grassroots mobilisation within the Palestinian Territories through increased nonviolent resistance.
Al-Ghoul further described Israel’s prevention of the ministerial visit and its obstruction of a planned meeting between the delegation and Abbas as a blatant violation of the protocols governing Israeli-Palestinian relations and of international law.
He referenced the July 2023 Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which reaffirmed that the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip are Occupied Palestinian Territories and called for Israel’s immediate withdrawal.
“The international community must now hold Israel accountable to its obligations under international treaties and its agreements with the Palestine Liberation Organisation,” Al-Ghoul said.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 5 June, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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