Saudi Interior Minister: We Are Prepared to Stop Any Violation that May Undermine Hajj

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif meets with head of security and military sectors. (SPA)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif meets with head of security and military sectors. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Interior Minister: We Are Prepared to Stop Any Violation that May Undermine Hajj

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif meets with head of security and military sectors. (SPA)
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif meets with head of security and military sectors. (SPA)

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif stressed on Saturday the readiness of security and military sectors in stopping any violation that may undermined the Hajj.

He met the heads of military and security sectors that are involved in securing the Hajj, praising their work that is being carried out with high professionalism.

He expressed Saudi Arabia’s pride in serving the Hajj pilgrims, highlighting the keenness of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the pilgrimage and their orders that the greatest efforts be exerted so that they can perform the holy rituals in safety.

Moreover, Prince Abdulaziz noted the coordination and integration between various military and security agencies and others, which have helped ensure the success of the arrival of the pilgrims to the holy sites.

He hoped these efforts would continue throughout the rest of the Hajj and that the pilgrims would return home safely.

Director of Public Security and head of the Hajj Security Committee Mohammad Al-Bassami gave a presentation about the results achieved by the Hajj security forces, stressing the readiness of all parties in carrying out the remaining phases of the security plan to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.

Prince Abdulaziz inspected the work of the command and control center of the Hajj in Mina. He followed up on the implementation of plans and the transport of pilgrims to the holy sites and listened to a detailed briefing by Al-Bassami about the security plans.



GCC-US Support for the Establishment of an Independent Palestinian State

The Ministerial Meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the US was held in New York. SPA
The Ministerial Meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the US was held in New York. SPA
TT

GCC-US Support for the Establishment of an Independent Palestinian State

The Ministerial Meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the US was held in New York. SPA
The Ministerial Meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the US was held in New York. SPA

Foreign Ministers from the Gulf and the US have announced their support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders.

The Ministerial Meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the US was convened on September 25 in New York, co-chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, who currently chairs the GCC Ministerial Council. The meeting was also attended by Foreign Ministers from GCC member states and Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi.

A statement issued on Thursday said the ministers announced “their support for the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel along the 1967 borders, with mutually agreed land swaps, in accordance with internationally recognized parameters and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.”

The ministers stressed the need for all civilians displaced after October 7 to return to their homes and reaffirmed their belief that a durable peace is essential for a more integrated, stable, and prosperous region.

They also emphasized the need to strengthen the capacity, effectiveness, and transparency of the Palestinian Authority, advocating for unified Palestinian-led governance in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The ministers committed to supporting Palestinian aspirations for self-determination, ensuring that Palestinians are central to post-conflict governance and security in Gaza. They expressed support for improving the quality of life for Palestinians through humanitarian assistance and efforts to accelerate economic growth.

The statement said they expressed deep concern over rising levels of settler and extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and stressed the need for accountability for perpetrators. They called for a halt to unilateral actions, including settlement expansions, that hinder the prospects for peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. They highlighted the importance of protecting all holy sites and places of worship while preserving the historic status quo in Jerusalem, recognizing Jordan’s special role.

On Gaza, the ministers committed to working towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees.

They called for an increase in the rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and stressed the urgent need to restore basic services and ensure protection for humanitarian workers. They highlighted the necessity for stakeholders to facilitate humanitarian distribution networks across Gaza to alleviate suffering and reiterated that all parties must ensure the safety of aid workers.

The ministers also underscored their shared commitment to the strategic partnership between the GCC and the US, building on the achievements of previous ministerial meetings, including the most recent one in Riyadh on April 29. They emphasized the importance of strengthening consultation, coordination, and cooperation in all fields.