Saudi FM Chairs Meeting of Ministerial Committee on Developments in Gaza

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah chairs the meeting of the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Developments in the Gaza Strip. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah chairs the meeting of the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Developments in the Gaza Strip. (SPA)
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Saudi FM Chairs Meeting of Ministerial Committee on Developments in Gaza

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah chairs the meeting of the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Developments in the Gaza Strip. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah chairs the meeting of the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Developments in the Gaza Strip. (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah chaired in Riyadh on Sunday the meeting of the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Developments in the Gaza Strip.

The meeting discussed the mechanisms of intensifying joint Arab and Islamic work to reach an immediate end to the war on Gaza and ensure the protection of civilians by international humanitarian law.

It stressed the need to continue efforts aimed at international recognition of an independent Palestinian state to achieve the aspirations of the Palestinian people and sustainable and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of the enclave.

The meeting discussed working on taking the necessary steps to implement the two-state solution and recognize the State of Palestine according to the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

It stressed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories. The gatherers expressed their categorical rejection of any attempts to displace the Palestinian people outside their land and any military operation in the Palestinian city of Rafah.

The ministers stressed the need for the international community to impose effective sanctions on Israel, including stopping the export of weapons to it, in response to its violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and the war crimes it is committing in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The ministers also underlined the need to activate international legal tools to hold Israel responsible for these crimes. They also called for an end to Israeli settler terrorism.

Moreover, they voiced their concern over the measures taken against peaceful demonstrators in Western countries that are demanding an end to the war in Gaza and condemning the Israeli crimes and violations against the Palestinians.

The meeting was attended by committee members Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and FM Ayman Al Safadi, Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry, Turkish FM Hakan Fidan, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein Al Sheikh, and Minister of State at Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi.



Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned Suicide Attack on Tel Aviv Airport, Says UAE Prosecutor

Planes sit on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International Airport after a Flydubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. (Reuters)
Planes sit on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International Airport after a Flydubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. (Reuters)
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Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned Suicide Attack on Tel Aviv Airport, Says UAE Prosecutor

Planes sit on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International Airport after a Flydubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. (Reuters)
Planes sit on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International Airport after a Flydubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. (Reuters)

The co-pilot who attacked the captain of a flydubai jet last week had planned to crash the plane into Tel Aviv's international airport, the United Arab Emirates' top prosecutor said on Friday.

In the aftermath of the incident, people on board -- the majority of whom were Israeli -- described a sudden plunge in altitude and a fight for control of the aircraft, which was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The passengers were repatriated on a second flydubai flight hours later.

The unnamed Omani co-pilot, now in custody in the UAE, had drawn inspiration from Al-Qaeda's September 11, 2001, suicide attacks on the United States, and carried out his attempt "with the aim of causing the greatest possible loss of life", according to the Emirati prosecutor's findings published by state media.

The prosecutor found that the co-pilot had first begun to be radicalized while studying in Australia "through reading extremist literature and following online content glorifying terrorist organizations and suicide attacks".

He said last week's flight had been the co-pilot's third to Tel Aviv, and that he had used the two earlier trips to plan the attack.

During the flight, the suspect used an emergency axe to attack the plane's Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, who fought back and tried to call for help.

Another pilot assigned to the return flight, who was also on board, "noticed the cockpit door opening and closing repeatedly in an unusual manner", according to the findings.

After gaining entry, he "intervened with the assistance of a cabin crew member and several passengers, and together they rescued the injured captain and restrained the suspect".

The return flight captain and his co-pilot then landed the plane at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

- No sign of intentions -

Israel and the UAE normalized ties under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, and Israel carries out stringent security checks on those travelling to the country.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said that the co-pilot -- identified in reports as Hamam al-Hammami -- must have gotten around restrictions preventing individuals from nations that do not recognize Israel operating flights to the country.

The UAE prosecutor's "findings showed that he had met the professional and security requirements for employment, including holding a pilot's license, providing a certificate of good conduct and completing the required checks".

"However, none of the procedures revealed any indications of his extremist views or his intention to carry out a terrorist plot."

After the incident, Netanyahu had hailed the passengers and the plane's captain for their bravery in averting what would have otherwise been a catastrophe.

He later ordered a "thorough review of all security aspects of foreign civil aviation to Israel" in response to the incident.


Coalition: 3 Houthi Missile Launchers Destroyed

Official Spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Official Spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Coalition: 3 Houthi Missile Launchers Destroyed

Official Spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Official Spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Official Spokesperson for the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki stated on Friday that three missile launchers used by Yemen’s Houthi militia to threaten regional security have been destroyed.

He added that Houthi attacks on civilians and civilian objects will be met with a firm response.


Civil Aviation Authority: 3 Saudis Killed in Thursday's Attacks on Riyadh Airport

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Civil Aviation Authority: 3 Saudis Killed in Thursday's Attacks on Riyadh Airport

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said Friday that three of the Kingdom's nationals were killed in attacks the day before on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.

"The attacks resulted in the martyrdom of three Saudi citizens," the General Authority of Civil Aviation said, adding the attacks targeted the airport's facilities and a plane belonging to national flag carrier Saudia.

The first attack targeted airport facilities, while the second struck the aircraft, the statement said.

It noted “injuries to a number of citizens and residents of different nationalities. Their injuries ranged from minor to serious.”

It also indicated that operational activities had returned to normal.