Arab League Secretary General Nabil Fahmy barred from West Bank visit

Israeli authorities refused to allow Arab League Secretary General Nabil Fahmy to travel to Ramallah on a planned visit to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The trip, scheduled for early July 2026, would have been Fahmy's first official travel since taking office as the league's chief. The Arab League said the denial underscores Israel's restrictions on Palestinian movement and the ongoing expansion of settlements, calling for international action and accountability.

The rejection comes amid heightened Israeli military raids, settler violence and settlement construction on the West Bank since the Gaza war began in October 2023, which the Palestinian health ministry says has caused over 1,000 Palestinian deaths on the occupied territories. Fahmy, a former Egyptian foreign minister, said Palestinians are living under siege by expanding settlements and settler‑only roads, protected by the occupying power.