ISRAEL: Israel rejected the appointment of a diplomatic post in Jerusalem for Saudi Arabia’s new ambassador to the Palestinians. Instead, Saudi Ambassdor to Jordan, Nayef Al-Sudairi, added a non-resident envoy to the Palestinians to his list of responsibilities, making “Consul-general in Jerusalem” one of his responsibilities.
Palestinians have long sought a state with East Jerusalem as its capital, but Israel claims Jerusalem as its own capital. The US recognized this claim in 2017, but other major world powers have not recognized it. Palestinian diplomatic activity is prohibited in the city by Israeli authorities.
The US is promoting a historic Middle East agreement to normalize Israeli-Saudi relations, as Saudi Arabia has supported the Palestinian cause and avoided diplomatic ties with Israel. Israel’s foreign minister, Eli Cohen, mentioned Al-Sudairi as a potential delegate to meet with Palestinian Authority representatives.
Cohen stated that a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem is not allowed, and the Israeli government has downplayed the possibility of granting Palestinian territory in a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh emphasized that Palestinians’ demand for statehood must be met to recognize Israel, and the division between Hamas and the internationally supported Palestinian government is an obstacle to achieving this goal.
Palestinian ambassador Bassam Al-Agha viewed Al-Sudairi’s nomination as a Saudi acceptance of the Palestinian state’s existence and rejection of former US President Donald Trump’s announcement. Cohen acknowledged that Al-Sudairi’s appointment had not been arranged with Israel, but he perceived a potential connection to the chances for normalisation.
Cohen added that the Saudis want to send a message to the Palestinians that they have not forgotten them, which is the motivation behind this development, given the progress made in US negotiations with Saudi Arabia and Israel.
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