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Saudi Arabian officials have expressed their outrage after Israel denied permission for a Saudi delegation, led by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, to visit the West Bank city of Ramallah. Planned for Sunday, the visit was personally initiated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and aimed to demonstrate support for the Palestinian Authority without involving Israel.

Senior Saudi officials conveyed their disappointment, labeling Israel's decision as unexpected and negative. The officials explained that the visit intended to bolster diplomatic efforts rather than engage with Israel. They underscored that Israel was never a consideration in their plans, which also included coordination with Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey.

The Israeli government, however, thwarted the plan by refusing passage for the delegation's helicopters via the Allenby Bridge. An Israeli official described the planned visit as provocative, noting its potential historical significance as it would have marked the highest-level Saudi visit to Ramallah since the 1967 Six-Day War.

The Palestinian Authority, also unprepared for the rejection, found itself in a difficult position. Hussein al-Sheikh, the PA's civil affairs minister and a close aide to Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, received the Israeli government's refusal and threatened to rally Arab states to press Israel to reconsider. This setback comes amid already strained Israeli-Saudi relations, which Saudi officials attribute to Israeli military operations in Gaza and the West Bank.

In response to the blocked visit, Foreign Minister bin Farhan canceled the trip and expressed his anger at the Israeli government's stance. A Saudi official underscored the frustration, saying, "There is no reason to face such rigidity," and emphasized that Ramallah is under Palestinian sovereignty. They pointed out the inconsistency in allowing Palestinian officials to travel to Arab nations while obstructing Arab representatives from visiting Palestinian territories.

The canceled visit was seen as more than just a high-level diplomatic exchange; it was intended as a prelude to a significant announcement. In June, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states plan to support a Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The visit was designed to generate media momentum and strengthen regional support for Mahmoud Abbas' initiative.

In a climate of already tense Israeli-Saudi relations, this recent development exacerbates diplomatic rifts and casts uncertainty over future efforts for regional cooperation and Palestinian statehood aspirations.