Saudi Delegation’s Ramallah Visit May Signal Diplomatic Shift Toward Israel

A Saudi delegation led by Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Nayef bin Bandar Al Sudairi is set to meet with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah this week. The meeting comes during a larger US diplomatic push to foster relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Al Sudairi, who is also a cousin of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was appointed last month as Riyadh’s first nonresident ambassador to Palestine and its nonresident consul general to Jerusalem. He presented his credentials to Abbas’ adviser Majdi al-Khalidi on August 12 in Amman.

Saudi Arabia has offered to reinstate financial aid to the Palestinian Authority, hinting at a broader diplomatic move toward Israel. The kingdom had previously donated billions to Palestinian causes before severing funding in 2016 over corruption concerns, with aid dropping from $174 million in 2019 to zero in 2021.

Palestinian leaders are contemplating whether to accept the proposed Saudi-Israeli deal. This marks a contrast to their 2020 stance when they rejected the Abraham Accords between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and the Jewish state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the UN General Assembly last Friday, calling the potential Saudi inclusion in the Abraham Accords a “quantum leap.” He said the accords had already yielded global benefits.