Israel Blocks Planned Arab Ministers’ Meeting in Ramallah, Israeli Official Says

Israel has prevented a scheduled meeting in Ramallah, the Palestinian administrative capital in the West Bank, involving Arab ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Palestinian Authority officials confirmed the presence of these ministers, who needed Israeli approval to travel from Jordan.

An Israeli official characterized the meeting as “provocative,” claiming it aimed to discuss promoting the establishment of a Palestinian state. The official stated that such a state would be viewed by Israel as a potential terrorist threat and indicated that Israel would not cooperate with efforts perceived as harming its security.

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The decision to block the meeting comes amid increasing international attention on Palestinian statehood, especially ahead of a conference in New York scheduled for June 17-20, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, to discuss the issue. French President Emmanuel Macron recently emphasized that recognizing Palestinian statehood is both a moral duty and a political necessity.

A Palestinian Authority official said the situation regarding whether the Ramallah meeting would proceed remains under discussion, while Israel’s actions highlight ongoing tensions over sovereignty and regional diplomacy in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.