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)
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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.



Communications Minister: Saudi Arabia Model of Int'l Cooperation in Bridging Social and AI Gaps

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha speaks at the panel session on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha speaks at the panel session on Monday. (SPA)
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Communications Minister: Saudi Arabia Model of Int'l Cooperation in Bridging Social and AI Gaps

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha speaks at the panel session on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha speaks at the panel session on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha said on Monday the Kingdom, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, presents a model of international cooperation to bridge social, economic and AI gaps.

Alswaha highlighted the Kingdom's efforts, in collaboration with the UN’s International Telecommunication Union, to conduct a study on how to bridge the digital divide, in view of the fact that 2.6 billion people lack access to digital solutions.

He made his remarks at a panel session at the Summit of the Future held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Kingdom launched the virtual hospital as a pioneering model in healthcare, and performed numerous specialized surgeries, including open-heart operations on patients in various countries, Alswaha continued.

The Kingdom is proud of the growth of its digital economy; it had proposed the establishment of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) to bridge gaps and serve over 800 million people, he added.

This can be done by providing digital platforms and a unified digital market to foster innovative and entrepreneurial models in healthcare, education, and business, thus improving efficiency and helping the digital economy grow, he said.

Through its membership in the AI Advisory Body, led by the UN secretary-general, Saudi Arabia is contributing to bridging social, economic and AI gaps, shaping the future of humanity and empowering individuals, stressed Alswaha.

The Kingdom, he added, presented seven recommendations, among which, to establish an independent international scientific committee focused on AI, launch a multi-government dialogue on AI governance involving stakeholders, create a platform for sharing standards and experience related to AI, and building a global network for capacity development.

"To boost joint efforts and exchange experience, the Kingdom is proud to announce its framework for AI governance in partnership with the UN, the establishment of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE) in partnership with UNESCO, and the launching of the AI Readiness Framework in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union," the minister said.

"As we celebrate today the launch of the Pact for the Future, we must unite in recognizing that we have only one option: a comprehensive AI that empowers humanity and ensures that no one is left behind in keeping pace with the world," he said.