Dubai: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud was reported by CNN as saying that "Israelis are not welcome to the Kingdom", after Israel issued a decision allowing its citizens to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia confirmed on Monday that Israeli passport holders were not permitted to enter the Kingdom.
The Foreign Minister said the policy was unchanged despite Israel saying on Sunday that its citizens could now travel to Saudi Arabia.
“Our policy is fixed,” Prince Faisal told CNN. “We do not have relations with the state of Israel, and Israeli passport holders cannot visit the Kingdom at the current time."
He added, “When a peace agreement is reached between the Palestinians and the Israelis, I believe the issue of Israel’s involvement in the region will be on the table.”
Trump's Mideast Plan
President Donald Trump said Monday that he would release his long-awaited Middle East peace plan Tuesday as he briefed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his chief political rival, Benny Gantz, at the White House.
Odds of it taking shape, though, appear long, given the Palestinians' preemptive rejection of of the plan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's shaky political standing.
Trump is expected to present the proposal alongside Netanyahu at noon on Tuesday. The event comes the same day as Trump's impeachment trial continues in the Senate and the Israeli parliament holds a hearing to discuss Netanyahu's request for immunity from criminal corruption charges.
The proposal is expected to be very favorable to Israel, and Netanyahu has hailed it as a chance to "make history'' and define Israel's final borders. Trump insists it has a chance despite skepticism.
"It's been worked on by everybody and we'll see whether or not it catches hold. If it does, that would be great and if it doesn't, we can live with it, too. But I think it might have a chance," he said on Monday.
A key element will be whether the proposal includes an American approval of any Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
According to a New York Times report, the plan includes a map outlining proposed new Israeli borders, provides for Israeli sovereignty over much of the Jordan Valley, a strategic area on the eastern frontier of the West Bank abutting Jordan, a person familiar with the proposal said.
The plan was developed under the oversight of the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, and conditions greater Palestinian autonomy on demilitarisation and recognition of Israeli as a Jewish state, according to the person.
Jordanian King this week in a meeting in Jordan made a clear stand against the peace plan, assuring his people that his stand will not change and it's a clear "NO".
Palestinian leaders also no longer speak to Trump officials, and are likely to oppose each of those elements in the plab, even if they are combined with the economic rewards of $50 billion (Dh183 billion) or more that the Trump administration says it can deliver.
