Saudi Arabia, GCC Condemn Israeli Bombing of UNRWA School

Rubble after the Israeli attack in Gaza (EPA photo)
Rubble after the Israeli attack in Gaza (EPA photo)
TT

Saudi Arabia, GCC Condemn Israeli Bombing of UNRWA School

Rubble after the Israeli attack in Gaza (EPA photo)
Rubble after the Israeli attack in Gaza (EPA photo)

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed the Kingdom’s strongest condemnation and denunciation of Israeli forces targeting a school that was sheltering displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the death of several people, including employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
The Kingdom stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, protection of unarmed civilians, and an end to the unprecedented humanitarian disaster that the Gaza Strip is witnessing due to Israeli violations of international laws and norms, SPA reported.
The Kingdom reiterated its complete rejection of targeting relief facilities, organizations, and their workers, stressing the responsibility of the international community to activate mechanisms of international accountability and put an end to these ongoing Israeli violations of international and humanitarian laws

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi also expressed his condemnation and denunciation of the UNRWA school bombing.
In a statement, Albudaiwi emphasized the urgent need for the international community to take a firm stance against the Israeli army to halt the continuous and systematic violations against the Palestinian people that have resulted in the tragic loss of tens of thousands of innocent civilian lives.
He said that the deliberate targeting of relief and UN staff represents yet another heinous crime added to the long list of repeated war crimes committed by the Israeli forces in Gaza. He also reiterated the statement made during the 161st GCC ministerial council meeting, held on September 9, firmly rejecting any attempts to justify the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip as self-defense.
He urged the international community to take action to address the unlawful practices of the Israeli government and its policy of collective punishment imposed on the besieged residents of Gaza and the entire Palestinian population.



Chinese Premier: Major Boost in Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arriving in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Chinese Foreign Ministry)
Chinese Premier Li Qiang arriving in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Chinese Foreign Ministry)
TT

Chinese Premier: Major Boost in Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arriving in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Chinese Foreign Ministry)
Chinese Premier Li Qiang arriving in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Chinese Foreign Ministry)

Chinese Premier Li Qiang voiced hopes for China and Saudi Arabia to continue strengthening their development strategies and expand cooperation in various fields.

He also stressed the need to keep deepening ties between the two nations and boost Chinese-Gulf and Chinese-Arab relations. Li made the comments during his official visit to Riyadh, which began on Tuesday.

The premier expressed his pleasure at visiting Saudi Arabia and delivered warm greetings and best wishes to the Saudi government and its welcoming people.

He also noted the strong historical friendship between the two countries, despite their distance.

Li highlighted the long history of Chinese and Arab civilizations, noting their connection through the Silk Road over 2,000 years ago. He said that, over the past 34 years since diplomatic ties were established, both cultures have significantly contributed to global progress.

The premier noted the significant progress in China-Saudi relations, attributing it to strong cooperation between both countries, which serves as a model for China-Arab and South-South cooperation.

He also recalled President Xi Jinping’s visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2022, where Xi attended three major summits: Saudi-China, Gulf-China, and Arab-China.

During this visit, Xi and King Salman signed a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement,” and a “High-Level Saudi-Chinese Joint Committee” was created, with meetings held alternately in each country.

Li noted that China and Saudi Arabia have been working for over a year to implement key summit agreements, boosting political trust and balanced cooperation across various areas.

He emphasized their close coordination on regional and global issues, which has strengthened their strategic partnership and advanced Chinese-Gulf and Chinese-Arab relations.

Trade and investment between China and Saudi Arabia have surged over the last few years. In 2023, China invested $16.8 billion in Saudi Arabia, up from $1.5 billion in 2022. Saudi investments in China reached 75 billion riyals.

Trade between the two countries hit $97 billion last year, with Saudi Arabia exporting $54 billion worth of goods to China and importing $43 billion. China has been Saudi Arabia’s top trading partner for the past decade.

In education, Saudi Arabia recently added Chinese language courses to its schools and hired 171 Chinese teachers. Additionally, 100 Saudi teachers are studying in China to earn master’s degrees in teaching Chinese.