Saudi Arabia renews support for Palestine after Israel storms Al-Aqsa: OIC envoy

Saudi Arabia renews support for Palestine after Israel storms Al-Aqsa: OIC envoy
(AFP/File)
Short Url
Updated 12 January 2023

Saudi Arabia renews support for Palestine after Israel storms Al-Aqsa: OIC envoy

Saudi Arabia renews support for Palestine after Israel storms Al-Aqsa: OIC envoy

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday affirmed that the Kingdom’s support for the Palestinian people stems from its deep belief in the importance of the Palestinian cause, the permanent representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation said.

Dr. Saleh Al-Suhaibani said that the cause represented “the main pillar of the OIC’s work, an important axis of its interests, and a sense of duty dictated by its firm belief, conscience, and affiliation to its Arab and Islamic nation,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He reiterated the Kingdom’s call for the need to “intensify international efforts to end the conflict, enhance the stability of the entire region, and the Palestinian people who, unfortunately, still suffer from obtaining legitimate rights.”

His comments came during an extraordinary meeting of the open-ended executive committee in Jeddah on Tuesday to discuss the Israeli attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, held at the request of the Palestinian and Jordanian delegations and in coordination and consultation with Saudi Arabia, the current OIC summit chairman and chairman of the executive committee.

Al-Suhaibani, who also chaired the meeting — in the presence of OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha — said the incident “a few days ago in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, in terms of the storming of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli extremists, whatever their characteristics, cannot be seen in isolation from the events that took place two decades ago when a senior Israeli official did the same.”

He said this resulted in the killing of hundreds of Palestinians following the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada, stressing that such dangerous developments require the international community to quickly resolve the current situation to avoid regional conflicts and confrontations.

“The Israeli occupation authorities warn against changing the historical and legal status quo in Al-Aqsa Mosque, while the Kingdom affirms its firm position on the need to provide full protection for Al-Aqsa Mosque and stop serious violations and provocations in it,” Al-Suhaibani said.

Saudi Arabia “holds those authorities fully responsible for any results or repercussions regarding the provocative policies and practices they take in the city of Jerusalem and the assault on its people and sanctities, as they ultimately undermine international peace efforts and contradict international principles and norms in respect of religious sanctities,” he said.

Al-Suhaibani highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts toward the Palestinian cause, reiterating the centrality of this issue to the Arab and Islamic nations, and the Kingdom’s full standing by the Palestinian people.

He said “these blatant attacks constitute a provocation to millions of Muslims, and fuel conflict, extremism and instability in the entire region, in addition to being a flagrant violation of the relevant international resolutions.”

Al-Suhaibani pointed to the Kingdom’s constant endeavor to support all efforts aimed at reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, in a way that enables them to establish an independent state, with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Kingdom called on the international community to take immediate action and compel Israel to stop these provocative practices in order to achieve justice for the Palestinian people.
 


Malaysian minister lauds Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative

Malaysian minister lauds Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative
Updated 01 June 2023

Malaysian minister lauds Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative

Malaysian minister lauds Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative

RIYADH: Malaysian Interior Minister Saifuddin Nasution praised Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route initiative, facilitating the travel procedures of Hajj pilgrims from Malaysia.

The statement was made during Nasution’s visit on Wednesday to a hall dedicated to the initiative at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where he was briefed on its readiness to facilitate pilgrims’ journey.

The Makkah Route initiative enables Hajj pilgrims from six countries to complete immigration, cargo and travel procedures before departing for the Kingdom.
 


Saudi crown prince congratulates Turkiye’s Erdogan on presidential win

Saudi crown prince congratulates Turkiye’s Erdogan on presidential win
Updated 01 June 2023

Saudi crown prince congratulates Turkiye’s Erdogan on presidential win

Saudi crown prince congratulates Turkiye’s Erdogan on presidential win

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call to Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Saudi Press Agency reported early Thursday.

The Crown Prince congratulated Erdogan after he was declared the victor in a historic runoff Turkish election.

Prince Mohammed wished the president success and the Turkish people further progress and prosperity.


Italian government lifts restrictions on export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia

Italian government lifts restrictions on export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia
Updated 31 May 2023

Italian government lifts restrictions on export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia

Italian government lifts restrictions on export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia
  • The decision ended an embargo that began in 2019

ROME: The Italian government on Wednesday lifted restrictions on the export of military weapons to Saudi Arabia, ending an embargo which began in 2019.

The move was announced in a communique at the end of a Council of Ministers presided over by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The decision was made “in accordance with the foreign and defense policy of Italy,” the official communique said.

Restrictions on the export of weapons from Italy to Saudi Arabia were imposed by the Italian government to prevent their use in the conflict in Yemen.

The Italian government added: “Today there is no more reason to keep those restrictions standing any longer.

“The regional context in Yemen has changed, and since April 2022, partly thanks to the truce, military activities have been sensibly circumscribed.”

Italy now believes that the reduction in military operations “significantly also mitigates the risk of misuse of bombs and missiles, particularly against civilian targets.”

Rome also acknowledged that the Kingdom “has pursued intensive diplomatic activity in support of UN mediation and was also active in a decisive manner on the economic and humanitarian assistance front.”

The press release added that in the light of the “changed situation of the conflict, the Council of Ministers states that the export of bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia does not fall under the prohibitions of exports established by Italian laws, and is in accordance with the foreign and defense policy of Italy.”
 


Al-Jubeir meets ambassadors from US, Costa Rica

Al-Jubeir meets ambassadors from US, Costa Rica
Updated 31 May 2023

Al-Jubeir meets ambassadors from US, Costa Rica

Al-Jubeir meets ambassadors from US, Costa Rica
  • Al-Jubeir wished Ratney success in his new role and in fulfilling his duties

RIYADH: Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, minister of state for foreign affairs, on Wednesday met newly appointed US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Ratney, in Riyadh.

Al-Jubeir wished Ratney success in his new role and in fulfilling his duties.

Al-Jubeir also met non-resident Francisco Chacon Hernandez, Costa Rica’s ambassador to the Kingdom. The parties discussed bilateral relations as well as issues of mutual interest.
 


Kenyan defense minister meets Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition chief

Kenyan defense minister meets Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition chief
Updated 31 May 2023

Kenyan defense minister meets Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition chief

Kenyan defense minister meets Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition chief

RIYADH: Secretary-General of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi met Kenyan Defense Minister Aden Bare Duale in Nairobi on Wednesday to discuss counterterrorism and violent extremism-related issues.

During his meeting with Al-Moghedi, the Kenyan minister praised the coalition’s framework – for military, counterterrorism, anti-terrorism financing, as well as intellectual and media matters – as a strategic pillar in fighting terrorism and violent extremism.

He added that terrorism has its roots in intellectual and ideological orientations, which constitute the basis of the extremist approach.

“Working on preparing the mindset and integrating it within the proper framework constitutes one of the proactive action pillars aimed to repress and contain extremist thinking,” Duale said.

Al-Moghedi said that strategic initiatives by the coalition in its counterterrorism efforts have taken into consideration the hierarchy of terrorist tendencies.

The secretary-general also spoke about social media and communication platforms, and their role in influencing users. He also discussed countering illegal terror financing through military support and assistance services.