New Saudi ambassador arrives in Ramallah, expresses support for Palestinian state

Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Palestine Nayef al-Sudairi arrives in Ramallah to present his credentials to the Palestinian Authority.

His arrival comes as Saudi Arabia edges closer to a normalization deal with Israel.

Al-Sudairi presents his credentials to PA President Mahmoud Abbas and to Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, who praises the depth of the deep-rooted historical and fraternal relations that bind the two people, according to the official Wafa news agency.

Al-Sudairi pointed to the statements of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salaman last week, “in which he clearly indicated his great interest in the Palestinian issue and the Palestinian people,” Wafa says.

He also refers to statements also made by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, “regarding the importance of the Palestinian issue and its solution on the basis of the two-state solution leading to the establishment of the State of Palestine.”

Al-Sudairi, who is also ambassador to Jordan, was recently appointed the first-ever non-resident Saudi ambassador to Palestine and consul general to Jerusalem.

Al-Sudairi says Saudi Arabia plans to open a consulate in East Jerusalem.

The visit comes as Israel and Saudi Arabia move closer to inking a US-brokered deal that would see Riyadh giving up on its earlier demand for a Palestinian state before normalization. However, the Saudis are still reportedly demanding significant Israeli concessions to the Palestinians as part of the deal.