RAMALLAH

Palestinian authorities on Sunday welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision to appoint an ambassador to the country.

"With this decision, Saudi Arabia has shown that it supports the Palestinian people in establishing an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Wasel Abu Youssef, a member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, told Anadolu.

Underlining that Saudi Arabia took the “right decision”, he said it is important that all countries, including the Arab states, make efforts to support the Palestinian people.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said that the timing of the decision reflects the importance Saudi Arabia attaches to the Palestinian issue, which is one of the most significant principles of its foreign policy.

On Saturday, the first ambassador appointed by Saudi Arabia to Palestine, Naif bin Bandar Al-Saud, presented his letter of credentials to the Palestinian authorities.

Al-Saud will serve as the non-resident ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Palestine.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar