Title: “Saudi Arabia reaffirms support for Palestinians during historic visit to occupied West Bank”
Introduction :
Saudi Arabia marked a major turning point in its relations with the Palestinians by sending, for the first time in more than thirty years, an official delegation to the occupied West Bank. This historic visit aims to reaffirm the kingdom’s support for the Palestinian cause, even in the event of normalization of relations with Israel. This event comes amid strong pressure for Gulf countries to normalize ties with Israel.
A visit of support and reaffirmation:
The visit of Saudi Ambassador Nayef al-Sudairi to the occupied West Bank represents a significant gesture by Saudi Arabia towards the Palestinian people. This official delegation, the first since the Oslo Accords of 1993, highlights the importance that the kingdom attaches to the Palestinian question. The ambassador met with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki to emphasize that the Palestinian issue remains a fundamental pillar of Saudi foreign policy. He also recalled the importance of the Arab peace initiative of 2002, proposing an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories in exchange for a normalization of relations between Arab countries and Israel.
The rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia:
This visit comes in a context of rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, encouraged by the American administration of Joe Biden. Since the Abraham Accords in 2020, Israel has established diplomatic relations with several Arab countries, under the leadership of former US President Donald Trump. The United States now wants Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize relations. This situation nevertheless raises fears among the Palestinians, who see this normalization as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause. The Saudi delegation’s visit to the West Bank therefore aims to reassure the Palestinians that Saudi Arabia remains committed to their cause.
Geopolitical issues:
A normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia could upset the geopolitical balance in the Middle East. As custodian of the Muslim holy sites of Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia plays an important diplomatic and religious role in the region. If this normalization comes to fruition, it could impact traditional alliances in the Middle East. However, it is important to emphasize that Saudi Arabia has set conditions for this normalization, in particular by requesting security guarantees from the United States and American assistance in the field of civil nuclear power.
Conclusion :
Saudi delegation’s visit to occupied West Bank marks turning point in Saudi-Palestinian relations. It demonstrates the kingdom’s desire to reaffirm its support for the Palestinian cause despite pressure for normalization with Israel. The geopolitical issues around this normalization are considerable, which makes this visit even more significant. It remains to be seen how this development in relations between the Gulf countries and Israel will influence the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.