Saudi King Orders Hosting 1,000 Pilgrims of Families of Martyrs, Prisoners, and Wounded Palestinians

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. SPA
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. SPA
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Saudi King Orders Hosting 1,000 Pilgrims of Families of Martyrs, Prisoners, and Wounded Palestinians

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. SPA
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. SPA

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has given instructions that 1,000 pilgrims, including families of martyrs, prisoners and wounded Palestinians, be allowed to perform Hajj as part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Hajj Guests Program, supervised and implemented annually by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.

Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, General Supervisor of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Hajj Guests Program, Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh thanked the King and the Crown Prince.

He said the “generous gesture” was a sign of the King’s strong relations with the Palestinian people, said Al Al-Sheikh.

The minister added that this initiative will have a great impact on the Palestinians and help ease their pain.

The services provided by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to the guests as part of the program touch on all Hajj rituals, including visits to the Prophet’s Mosque and historical places, cultural and scientific meetings, and coordination of meetings with the imams of the Two Holy Mosques; all this is done by making use of modern technology and artificial intelligence, as per the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, to facilitate hosting the pilgrims.

Al Al-Sheikh also talked about the preparation of plans, studies and field equipment to ensure the success of the program, done in cooperation with various relevant government sectors to serve the guests from their arrival until their departure.



GCC Ministerial Council to Meet in Makkah to Discuss Regional, Int’l Affairs 

The GCC foreign ministers are seen during their meeting in Kuwait in December. (GCC)
The GCC foreign ministers are seen during their meeting in Kuwait in December. (GCC)
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GCC Ministerial Council to Meet in Makkah to Discuss Regional, Int’l Affairs 

The GCC foreign ministers are seen during their meeting in Kuwait in December. (GCC)
The GCC foreign ministers are seen during their meeting in Kuwait in December. (GCC)

The 163rd Ministerial Council meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will be held in Makkah on Thursday to discuss the latest regional and international developments.

Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al Yahya, the current president of the Ministerial Council, will preside over the meeting, which will be attended by the GCC foreign ministers.

GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said joint ministerial meetings will also be held with the Foreign Minister of Egypt Badr Abdelatty, Syrian FM Asaad Al Shibani, Moroccan FM Nasser Bourita and Jordan’s FM and Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi.

The discussions with Egypt, Syria, Morocco and Jordan will focus on boosting strategic relations and joint cooperation in various fields to achieve mutual interests, Albudaiwi said.

The meetings will continue consultation and coordination on regional and international issues with the aim of supporting regional security and stability.

Meanwhile, the GCC Ministerial Council will address several reports on the implementation of decisions taken by the Supreme Council of the GCC in Kuwait in December.

Discussions will also cover memorandums and reports submitted by ministerial and technical committees, as well as the General Secretariat.

Officials will tackle issues related to strategic dialogues and relations among the GCC, other states, and global blocs. The latest regional and international developments affecting the region will also be addressed.