Foreign ministers from five Arab nations have condemned Israel’s decision to block their planned visit to the occupied West Bank, where they were scheduled to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday.

The delegation—including representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—was expected to arrive alongside Turkey and the Arab League’s Secretary-General. However, Israel’s move to prevent their visit sparked sharp criticism from regional leaders.

The ministers condemned “Israel’s decision to ban the delegation’s visit to Ramallah (on Sunday) to meet with the president of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas,” the Jordanian foreign ministry said.

The West Bank has witnessed heightened tensions in recent months, with Israeli forces launching frequent raids in towns and cities, leading to deadly clashes with Palestinian fighters.

The visit was planned as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman pushes for international recognition of Palestinian statehood as the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza drags on for 603 days, resulting in the deaths of more than 54,000 Palestinians.

Bin Salman has made efforts to convince Western states, particularly the U.S., to recognize Palestinian statehood. 

Saudi Arabia is confident that France will be among the states that will do so in June.

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