News - Middle East: The Israeli regime has rejected the idea of a diplomatic base in the occupied al-Quds for Saudi Arabia’s envoy to Palestine, who recently presented his credentials to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s diplomatic adviser Majdi al-Khalidi received a copy of the credentials of Ambassador Nayef al-Sudairi as a non-resident envoy in Jordan on Saturday.
Reacting to the development, Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen said on Sunday that the Tel Aviv regime will not allow the opening of the Saudi diplomatic mission in al-Quds.
"This (Al-Sudairi) could be a delegate who will meet with representatives in the Palestinian Authority," the Israeli minister was quoted as saying.
"We will not allow the opening of any kind of diplomatic mission" in al-Quds, Cohen added. "Will there be an official physically sitting in al-Quds? This we will not allow."
The Israeli entity claims occupied al-Quds as its own capital, a status recognized by the United States under then-President Donald Trump in 2017 but not by other world countries. Israeli authorities bar Palestinian diplomatic activity in the city.
Palestinian officials have welcomed the first Saudi Arabian ambassador.
Bassam Al-Agha, the Palestinian ambassador to Riyadh, cast al-Sudairi's appointment as the Saudi affirmation of Palestinian statehood and "rejection of what had been announced by former US President Trump".
"This means a continuation of Saudi Arabia's positions,” al-Agha added
The ambassador’s appointment came amid reports that the Persian Gulf kingdom is considering the prospect of establishing formal diplomatic relations with Israel under US pressure.
Last month, US President Joe Biden said a deal may be on the way after talks that his national security adviser had with Saudi officials in Jeddah aimed at fixing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.