Israeli Outrage: Reasons and Implications of Saudi Arabia Appointing Its First Ambassador to the Abbas Authority

In a move that sparked sharp Israeli criticism, the Palestinian Authority received a copy of the credentials for Saudi Arabia’s first non-resident ambassador on August 12, 2023.

This move triggered a mixture of surprise and conflicting information, with official Israeli statements claiming no prior knowledge of the step amid widespread speculation about the nearing normalization of relations between Riyadh and “Tel Aviv.”

This marks the first time that Saudi Arabia has appointed an ambassador to the Palestinian Authority who also serves as a consul general in Jerusalem (al-Quds), a decision that has angered “Israel,” which considers the occupied city its supposed capital.

It’s worth noting that the kingdom had a consulate in Jerusalem, but it closed following the Israeli Occupation of the city in 1967 when the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was under Jordanian administration.

Israeli officials expressed their displeasure, stating that Netanyahu’s assurances of refraining from annexing the West Bank are insufficient.

 

‘Israel’ Is Angry

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that “Majdi Khaldi, Advisor to the President of the Palestinian Authority for Diplomatic Affairs, received a copy of the credentials of Riyadh’s ambassador to Jordan, Naif al-Sudairy, as a plenipotentiary and extraordinary ambassador of the Saudi monarch King Salman bin Abdulaziz to the State of Palestine, and as a consul general for the kingdom in Jerusalem.

“The original credentials will be handed over to the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, in the near future.”

According to WAFA, this took place during Khaldi’s meeting with Ambassador Naif al-Sudairy at the Palestinian Embassy in Jordan.

Following the meeting, Khaldi stated, “We welcome the Saudi Arabian ambassador, emphasizing that this significant step will contribute to enhancing the strong and solid fraternal relations between the two countries and peoples.”

He expressed, on behalf of the Palestinian President, “Palestine’s gratitude and appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s steadfast support toward the Palestinian people and its constant backing of the Palestinian cause on various international platforms.”

He praised the “concern of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in this crucial step aimed at bolstering fraternal relations across various fields to serve both nations and peoples.”

Sudairy also stated, “This step is significant and holds great significance, reflecting the Kingdom’s keenness to strengthen relations with our brothers in the Palestinian state.”

“This move will have positive implications for the Palestinians, organizing their relations and giving them an official boost across various fields, whether political, economic, or social.”

Concluding, he said, “We look forward to a promising future for these relations, aiming to make them as they were, or even better, God willing.”

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid vowed the following day that no country would be allowed to open diplomatic missions in East Jerusalem accredited to the Palestinian Authority.

Recently, official Israeli statements have intensified concerning negotiations for normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia through U.S. mediation.

However, Saudi Arabia has conditioned normalization on the resolution of the Palestinian issue first, before any normalization with “Israel.”

Yet, American media claims that other security-related matters are also a consideration.

Israeli Foreign Minister Lapid stated on 103FM radio: “They [the Saudis] did not coordinate with us, and they do not need to coordinate with us. We will not allow any effective diplomatic representation for the Palestinians in Jerusalem.”

He believed that the Saudi move was “a message to the Palestinians that they have not been forgotten, despite progress in normalization negotiations” between Riyadh and “Tel Aviv.” He added, “We will not allow countries to open consulates [in Jerusalem], this can’t happen.”

Lapid continued, “The Palestinian issue is not a priority in the talks … The Likud party, led by Netanyahu, managed to bring the previous peace agreements [with the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco], and we have proven that the Palestinians are not a hindrance to peace. This will not prevent the signing of a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia.”

This was repeatedly emphasized by Netanyahu himself, stating that Saudi interests lie in normalization with “Israel,” and he claimed that the Palestinian issue is not of utmost priority for the kingdom, and that Iran’s file is what concerns them.

 

Reasons Behind the Move

In its commentary on the matter, the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom speculated that Saudi Arabia’s decision to appoint an ambassador to the Palestinian Authority might be a prelude to normalizing relations with “Israel.”

Analysts, including Israeli affairs expert Saleh el-Naami, suggest that the Saudi government intends to extend a gesture of goodwill to the Palestinians, reducing the potential impact of normalization with “Tel Aviv.”

Similarly, the Hebrew newspaper Maariv quoted Israeli diplomatic sources as saying that the appointment of the Saudi ambassador is a “Saudi signal to the Palestinians, indicating that we are moving towards normalization with Israel.”

It pointed out that “Israel was informed in advance of this move, and the appointment of the Saudi ambassador to the Palestinian Authority was not surprising.”

Three Israeli and American officials revealed that Netanyahu sent one of his close aides to Washington to discuss the Biden administration’s efforts toward Saudi–“Israel” normalization, as reported by Axios on August 11.

The website quoted an unnamed American official as saying that Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer is likely to arrive in Washington on August 17 to discuss diplomatic efforts regarding normalization between “Tel Aviv” and Riyadh.

The official clarified that both Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor to the White House, and Brett McGurk, Biden’s Senior Advisor for the Middle East, along with Amos Hochstein, the President’s Principal Deputy for Energy, are the key figures in the Saudi–“Israel” normalization dossier.

This was also confirmed by Maariv, which stated, “It is estimated in Israel that the appointment of the ambassador was timed intentionally, in preparation for the discussions expected to be held by Minister Dermer in Washington.”

Despite these steps, the newspaper pointed out that the appointment “added to the complications over conflicting messages about the progress of negotiations for Saudi–Israeli normalization, mediated by the U.S.”

It believes that the appointment may have other objectives, including signaling that the Palestinian issue has not been dropped from Saudi Arabia’s agenda and will likely appear on their list of demands in any potential agreement with “Israel.”

One of the reasons behind this move might be Saudi Arabia’s desire to send a message to Jordan, the custodian of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, showing its commitment to asserting its presence there, regardless of the cost, Maariv found.

 

Conditions and Demands

In turn, Palestinian political analyst Ibrahim Madhoun stated that the Saudi decision reflects Saudi Arabia’s desire to activate its regional role and show greater interest in the Palestinian issue.

He added to Al-Estiklal that Saudi Arabia aims to play a more influential role in this stage through the Palestinian issue, while also seeking privileges from the United States and “Israel,” such as developing a peaceful nuclear program and enhancing its fighter jets.

Madhoun regarded the appointment of the ambassador as a positive step in enhancing relations with Palestinian factions, but he emphasized that it’s not enough. The kingdom should have relationships with all Palestinian factions, primarily the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

The political analyst continued, saying, “There is an aspiration for Saudi Arabia to have a role just as Qatar has a role in Gaza’s reconstruction, financial assistance, and support for services in the education and health sectors.”

Regarding the connection of this move to normalization with “Israel,” Madhoun indicated that everyone is now aware of ongoing negotiations in this regard, but he noticed a development in Saudi performance.

He explained that “Saudi Arabia, up until now, maintains a steadfast position that there should be a Palestinian state in exchange for normalization. This is what the Israeli Occupation refuses, as it attempts to infiltrate the Saudi system, negatively influence it, seize the nation’s resources, including oil, and diminish the roles of active regional states.”

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated through its official spokespersons that the normalization of relations with “Tel Aviv” is contingent upon implementing the Arab Peace Initiative, which was launched by the late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in 2002.

The initiative calls for the creation of an internationally recognized Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, the return of refugees, and Israeli Occupation withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights, in exchange for recognition and normalization of relations.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan stated at the beginning of April 2021 that his country “believes that normalization with Israel will benefit everyone, but without peace for the Palestinians, the benefits of this step will be limited,” stressing the “necessity of continuing efforts to provide peace.”

On the other hand, Netanyahu rejects making concessions in exchange for signing a normalization agreement or establishing a Palestinian state. He asserts that the two matters are separate.

In an interview with Bloomberg on August 7, 2023, he stated that if there is a desire, there will be a political way to achieve formal normalization and peace between “Israel” and Saudi Arabia.

According to Netanyahu, “Israel” and Saudi Arabia will deepen economic and business ties even if they don’t formally recognize each other.

“If there is a political will, there will be a political way to achieve normalization and formal peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia. That has enormous economic consequences for the investors and if they have to bet on it right now, I’d bet on it, but I can’t guarantee it,” he said.

“I’ll tell you what I’m not willing to give. I’m not willing to give anything that will endanger Israel’s security. That I will not do, but I think there is enough room to discuss possibilities.”

On the other hand, Americans concluded that Riyadh would not settle for promises made by Netanyahu regarding the non-annexation of the West Bank. Instead, they demand tangible actions on the ground, according to a report published by The New York Times in early August.