'Will not cooperate': Israel blocks Arab ministers planned visit to West Bank; Arab countries condemn ban

The foreign ministers of five Arab countries who had planned to visit the occupied West Bank this weekend on Saturday condemned Israel's decision to block their plans. 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, Mahmud Abbas", the Jordanian foreign ministry said.

Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had been expected to take part alongside Turkey and the secretary-general of the Arab League.

Israel had announced late Friday that it would not cooperate, effectively blocking the visit as it controls the territory's borders and airspace. Abbas "intended to host in Ramallah a provocative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab countries to discuss the promotion of the establishment of a Palestinian state," said a statement attributed to an unidentified official. "Such a state would undoubtedly become a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel. Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security."

Had the visit gone ahead, the delegation's head Prince Faisal bin Farhan would have become the first Saudi foreign minister to visit the West Bank. Israel this week announced the creation of 22 new Jewish settlements in the West Bank, regarded by the United Nations as illegal under international law and one of the main obstacles to a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.