US State Department Hails Saudi Arabia's Efforts in Combating Terrorism

People enter the State Department Building in Washington (Reuters)
People enter the State Department Building in Washington (Reuters)
TT

US State Department Hails Saudi Arabia's Efforts in Combating Terrorism

People enter the State Department Building in Washington (Reuters)
People enter the State Department Building in Washington (Reuters)

The US State Department applauded Saudi Arabia's efforts in combating terrorism and its measures to counter terrorist financing in 2022.

The state Department praised the Kingdom's efforts to raise standards and measures using modern technologies and tools in the security field, especially in combating terrorism and its financing, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Wednesday.

In its annual report on combating terrorism for 2022, the Department lauded the Kingdom for upgrading the security and international criteria for Saudi passports, adding that the new Saudi passport security features are comparable to the US' next-generation passport.

The Ministry of Interior scanned passenger manifests for inbound and outbound flights and monitored border crossings and traveler lists at the land, sea, and air crossing.

It also referred to Saudi efforts in combating terrorist and extremist discourse, enacting laws that criminalize these acts, noting that it promoted moderation and tolerance through governmental and non-governmental institutions in the Kingdom.

The Department highlighted the pivotal role of the Kingdom at the international and regional levels in supporting initiatives to combat terrorism and its financing and rejecting extremism and its discourses through the Kingdom's membership in several global and regional organizations engaged in counterterrorism cooperation.

The report indicated a significant drop in terrorist incidents in the Kingdom in 2022.



Albudaiwi Urges International Community to Act Immediately to Stop Israeli Aggression in Gaza Strip

A view shows houses and buildings destroyed in Israeli strikes, in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Anas al-Shareef
A view shows houses and buildings destroyed in Israeli strikes, in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Anas al-Shareef
TT

Albudaiwi Urges International Community to Act Immediately to Stop Israeli Aggression in Gaza Strip

A view shows houses and buildings destroyed in Israeli strikes, in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Anas al-Shareef
A view shows houses and buildings destroyed in Israeli strikes, in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Anas al-Shareef

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi has renewed his call to the international community to assume its responsibilities and take urgent action to stop the grave Israeli aggression in Gaza Strip.
In a press release from the GCC General Secretariat, Albudaiwi stressed that one year since the start of military actions by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza, the humanitarian, security, and economic situation in the region has notably deteriorated.

According to SPA, he said, the situation necessitates immediate and decisive steps by the international community to put an end to the brutal Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, de-escalate military operations and lift the blockade to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid and the opening of crossings, to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Albudaiwi also emphasized the critical need to protect civilians, including those involved in relief and humanitarian work, who face severe dangers while fulfilling their vital roles. Furthermore, he reiterated that GCC countries consistently advocate for accountability for those responsible for crimes against humanity, for holding the Israeli government accountable for the violations committed by its forces against the defenseless Palestinian people.
He reaffirmed the GCC member states’ unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, and their commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant United Nations resolutions.
Albudaiwi called for united regional and international endeavors to secure an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and to provide essential assistance to the Palestinian people, thus fostering stability and security in the region.