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Palestinian Authority Welcomes Saudi Ambassador’s Visit

Saudi Ambassador to Palestine Nayef al-Sudairi presenting credentials on August 12 in Amman, Jordan, to Advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas for Diplomatic Affairs, Majdi al-Khalidi. (WAFA)
Saudi Ambassador to Palestine Nayef al-Sudairi presenting credentials on August 12 in Amman, Jordan, to Advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas for Diplomatic Affairs, Majdi al-Khalidi. (WAFA)
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Palestinian Authority Welcomes Saudi Ambassador’s Visit

Saudi Ambassador to Palestine Nayef al-Sudairi presenting credentials on August 12 in Amman, Jordan, to Advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas for Diplomatic Affairs, Majdi al-Khalidi. (WAFA)
Saudi Ambassador to Palestine Nayef al-Sudairi presenting credentials on August 12 in Amman, Jordan, to Advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas for Diplomatic Affairs, Majdi al-Khalidi. (WAFA)

The Palestinian government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) welcomed on Monday the visit of the Saudi ambassador to Palestine and consul in Jerusalem, Nayef al-Sudairi, describing it as a historic milestone for developing fraternal relations between the two countries.

“The visit is considered an important historic milestone for the development of fraternal relations between the two countries and opening more horizons for joint cooperation in all fields,” the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates posted on its official X account.

It added that it values the support of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammad bin Salman, for the just and legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people in all forums.

The visit is a first for a Saudi high-ranking official to the Palestinian territories since the appointment of Al-Sudairi as non-resident ambassador to Palestine and Consul General of Saudi Arabia in Jerusalem.

Al-Sudairi said the step will have positive outcomes that will benefit the Palestinians in terms of organizing relations and giving an official boost to relations between the two countries. “We look forward to a promising future for this relationship to make it even better,” he said.

On Monday, Hussein al-Sheikh, Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee, welcomed the visit of Sudairi.

“The Ambassador will present his official credentials to President Mahmoud Abbas within a few days,” wrote Al-Sheikh in a tweet.

Al-Sudairi had presented on August 12 his letter of credentials to the Palestinian authorities.

He delivered the letter of credentials to Majdi Al-Khalidi, advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas for diplomatic affairs, at the Palestinian Embassy in Jordan.

Al-Sudairi is the first Saudi Ambassador to Palestine.

On Monday, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry had reported that its minister, Riyad al-Maliki, sent a congratulatory letter to his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, congratulating him on the occasion of the 93rd Saudi National Day.

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Italy Plans to Return Ambassador to Syria to Reflect New Diplomatic Developments, Minister Says

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
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Italy Plans to Return Ambassador to Syria to Reflect New Diplomatic Developments, Minister Says

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)

Italy plans to send an ambassador back to Syria after a decade-long absence, the country’s foreign minister said, in a diplomatic move that could spark divisions among European Union allies.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking in front of relevant parliamentary committees Thursday, announced Rome’s intention to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria to prevent Russia from monopolizing diplomatic efforts in the Middle Eastern country.

Moscow is considered a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has remained in power despite widespread Western isolation and civilian casualties since the start of Syria’s civil war in March 2011.

Peaceful protests against the Assad government — part of the so-called “Arab Spring” popular uprisings that spread across some of the Middle East — were met by a brutal crackdown, and the uprising quickly spiraled into a full-blown civil war.

The conflict was further complicated by the intervention of foreign forces on all sides and a rising militancy, first by al-Qaida-linked groups and then the ISIS group until its defeat on the battlefield in 2019.

The war, which has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million, is now largely frozen, despite ongoing low-level fighting.

The country is effectively carved up into areas controlled by the Damascus-based government of Assad, various opposition groups and Syrian Kurdish forces.

In the early days of the conflict, many Western and Arab countries cut off relations with Syria, including Italy, which has since managed Syria-related diplomacy through its embassy in Beirut.

However, since Assad has regained control over most of the territory, neighboring Arab countries have gradually restored relations, with the most symbolically significant move coming last year when Syria was re-admitted to the Arab League.

Tajani said Thursday the EU’s policy in Syria should be adapted to the “development of the situation,” adding that Italy has received support from Austria, Croatia, Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Cyprus and Slovakia.

However, the US and allied countries in Europe have largely continued to hold firm in their stance against Assad’s government, due to concerns over human rights violations.