Palestinian Authority welcomes first Saudi ambassador to Palestine
Al JazeeraSep 29, 2023
The Facts
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has hosted a self-proclaimed "historic milestone" of welcoming its first Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — Nayef al-Sudairi.
The delegation to Palestine is the first of its kind to travel to the West Bank since the Oslo Accords in 1993. Al-Sudairi was initially met by Palestine's highest-ranking diplomat, Riyad Al-Maliki.
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
Having previously disregarded the importance of diplomatic ties with Israel for nearly a year, the White House now expects Tel Aviv to accept and allow concessions to Palestine in return for a deal with Saudi Arabia. Such a reality may be a stretch for Netanyahu's government, which will not relinquish to external international pressure. Israel has a high bar for any realignment of relations of nations in the region.
Pro-Palestine narrative
This is not the first time that Saudi Arabia has shown goodwill towards Palestine, nor will it be the last. If the Saudis truly desire change in the West Bank, they must provide more than rhetoric and show they are truly supportive of the Palestinian cause. Palestine too, has a high bar as the geopolitics shifts in the region.