Historic Move: Saudi Arabia Appoints Non-Resident Ambassador to Palestine

Saudi Arabia has appointed its first-ever non-resident ambassador to Palestine, as well as its first-ever non-resident consul general to Jerusalem. The move is seen as an effort by Saudi Arabia to increase its involvement in the region and comes as the country engages in negotiations with the Biden administration about potentially normalizing relations with Israel. The appointment, presented to the Palestinian Authority and not Israel's Foreign Ministry, recognizes Palestinian claims to Jerusalem and signifies support for the Palestinian cause. US officials have indicated that Riyadh will not agree to normalize ties with Israel without significant gestures for the Palestinians, while Saudi officials have expressed hesitation about fully normalizing ties with Israel under the current government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.