JEDDAH, 12 October 2004 — Saudi Arabia yesterday blasted Israel’s ongoing genocidal offensive in Gaza and other Palestinian territories and warned that it would result in a humanitarian catastrophe.
The Council of Ministers, which met here under the chairmanship of Crown Prince Abdullah, criticized the UN Security Council’s failure to stop the Jewish state’s aggressions against the Palestinian people.
“The failure of the Security Council to adopt a decision against these brutal actions will encourage the Israeli authorities to continue its war of attrition against the Palestinian people,” the Saudi Press Agency said quoting a statement issued after the Cabinet meeting.
Culture and Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said the Cabinet meeting reviewed the worsening situation in both Palestine and Iraq.
“The Cabinet also warned against the tragic situation in Iraq and urged the international community to play a more effective role to end the bloodbath” in the war-ravaged country, he said.
The meeting reiterated the Kingdom’s condemnation of the terrorist attack in Taba that resulted in the death of at least 32 people and injuries to scores, and voiced Riyadh’s solidarity with Egypt in confronting terrorist operations.
The Cabinet disclosed the government’s plan to open new specialized hospitals similar to King Fahd Medical City, which was inaugurated by the crown prince last Tuesday in Riyadh.
“The government will also establish more health care centers under the King Fahd plan, which envisages 2,000 such centers across the Kingdom,” Al-Farsy said.
The Cabinet congratulated the Arab and Islamic Ummah on the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan that promotes cooperation among Muslims and encourages them to engage in righteous and charitable activities.
The meeting authorized the culture and information minister or his deputy to hold negotiations with Venezuelan officials to sign a memorandum of understanding for the exchange of news between the Saudi Press Agency and Venpres, the state news agency of the Latin American country.
The Cabinet decided to conclude an agreement for marine transport cooperation with South Africa and authorized the transport minister to sign the pact.
It appointed Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al-Namlah ambassador, Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Sudairy minister plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry and Mansour ibn Abdullah Al-Ghafaily director general of the civil service minister’s office.
Shoura Decision
In another development, the Shoura Council yesterday endorsed the national strategy and working plan to confront desertification and reduce the effects of drought.
The Shoura also called for the quick transformation of the Saudi Radio and Television and Saudi Press Agency into two corporations.
