The move comes amid reports that Saudi Arabia and Israel are close to reaching a normalization agreement under the auspices of the US.
The appointment of the ambassador is also seen as a message from the Saudis that a normalization agreement with Israel won’t affect Riyadh’s relations with the Palestinians.
Palestinian officials in Ramallah had expressed concern over the possible deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, saying they were being kept in the dark about the US efforts to reach an agreement between the two countries.The officials also expressed hope that the apparent rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia won’t affect the kingdom’s support for the Palestinian issue.
A senior Palestinian official praised the appointment of the Saudi ambassador as a “diplomatic and historic victory.”Sudairi, who will remain in his job as ambassador to Jordan, will also serve as “consul-general in Jerusalem,” the Saudi ministry said. READ MORE