RIYADH, 27 January — Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, said yesterday that the people of Saudi Arabia will uphold the Islamic faith "until Allah claims our souls". "The people of the Kingdom have not been affected by what certain newspapers publish and you know who is behind this campaign," the crown prince said. He made the remarks while receiving here a number of scholars, intellectuals and journalists from the Kingdom and abroad who are attending the current Janadriah festival as guests of the National Guard.
"Without the Islamic faith, we Arabs, have no dignity, strength or power," the crown prince said.
During discussions the crown prince was asked about the United States’ stance on the Middle East issue, the plight of the Palestinians and the virtual imprisonment of President Yasser Arafat by the Israelis. To that Prince Abdullah replied: "A leader being imprisoned by another country is a very strange situation. Never has anything like this happened anywhere. I would like to tell my brothers in Palestine that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and its people will strive hard to fulfill their duty toward their brothers and Islam. We will strive hard. But only Allah can provide success."
Commenting on the policy of the Kingdom on the Palestine issue, Prince Abdullah said: "I greet my brothers and sons of this valiant and firm nation who have raised the morale and esteem of Arabs and Islam, and I wish them success and hope that we all will one day pray at Al-Quds (Al-Aqsa) Mosque if Allah wills it.
The crown prince was asked whether the Beirut summit would endorse the views he had expressed in the GCC summit in Muscat. He replied: "I carried out my duty. The rest is on the participants of the summit."
