Saudi Arabia Urges Int’l Support for Recognition of State of Palestine, Slams Israeli Violations 

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in NEOM. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in NEOM. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Urges Int’l Support for Recognition of State of Palestine, Slams Israeli Violations 

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in NEOM. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in NEOM. (SPA)

The Saudi government reiterated on Tuesday the Kingdom’s call on the international community to support a two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

It noted that the successive announcements by countries to recognize a Palestinian state are steps towards supporting international legitimacy and reflect a growing momentum to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the conflict.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in NEOM.

The cabinet was briefed on the two messages Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Crown Prince received from Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, as well as on the Crown Prince's meeting with Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The cabinet reviewed the positive outcomes of the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which was co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.

The cabinet renewed the Kingdom's call to all UN member states to support the final document issued by the conference, which represents a comprehensive framework for implementing the two-state solution, achieving international peace and security, and helping build the future of the region and its peoples.

The cabinet followed up on Saudi Arabia's comprehensive support for the State of Palestine and its people, particularly at the humanitarian level, through the continued dispatch of shelter, medical, and food aid to Gaza Strip via the Saudi air and sea bridges.

The cabinet strongly condemned the repeated provocative practices by Israeli government officials against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, stressing the Kingdom's demand that the international community halt these practices, which violate international laws and norms.

On domestic affairs, the cabinet reviewed the Kingdom's most prominent economic indicators, including a 3.9% growth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the second quarter of 2025, driven by the positive performance of all economic activities, particularly non-oil sectors.

It welcomed the recent report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following its 2025 Article IV Consultation with the Kingdom, which underscored the strength of the local economy, its ability to address global economic challenges, the continued expansion of non-oil activities, and the containment of inflation.

The cabinet deemed the launch of new industrial projects in Eastern Region as part of the comprehensive development movement witnessed by the Kingdom, in line with its vision to develop local content, boost the competitiveness of national industry, and provide an attractive and enabling investment environment for innovators and entrepreneurs.

Moreover, the cabinet praised the achievements of the Healthy Cities Program, including the World Health Organization's recognition of Jeddah and Madinah as the two largest healthy cities in the Middle East. This brings to 16 the number of healthy cities in Saudi Arabia, embodying the ongoing commitment to promoting preventive health, quality of life, and integration among relevant stakeholders.

The cabinet also applauded the contribution of the Quality of Life Program in achieving a number of objectives supporting infrastructure development, enhancing the quality of services, and developing the cultural, entertainment, and sports sectors.

It praised the achievements in environmental protection and sustainability, including the rehabilitation of more than 500,000 hectares of degraded land and the planting of over 151 million trees as part of the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to develop vegetation cover and combat desertification.



Saudi Govt Rejects Any Attempts to Undermine Somalia’s Sovereignty

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Rejects Any Attempts to Undermine Somalia’s Sovereignty

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government stressed on Tuesday the Kingdom’s rejection of any attempts “to create parallel entities that undermine Somalia's unity, territorial integrity, or national sovereignty.”

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.

The Cabinet welcomed the outcomes of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's extraordinary meeting on Somalia in Jeddah that stressed the Kingdom’s stance on Somalia.

The Cabinet reviewed recent high-level discussions between the Kingdom and various countries, focusing on regional developments, ongoing efforts to anchor security and peace, and the Kingdom's commitment to multilateral initiatives that drive global stability and foster collective responses to shared challenges.

The Cabinet reiterated the centrality of the Palestinian cause, stressing the Kingdom's unwavering support for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. These efforts aim to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Cabinet commended the successful conclusion of the Gulf Shield 2026 joint military exercise, hosted by Saudi Arabia. Featuring the air and air defense forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the GCC Unified Military Command, the exercise underscored the commitment to boosting regional defense cooperation and strengthening collective military readiness.

The Cabinet reviewed several high-profile economic events hosted by the Kingdom, specifically highlighting the Saudi-Japan Ministerial Investment Forum and the Saudi-Canadian Business and Investment Forum. The summits resulted in numerous memoranda of understanding across strategic sectors, including space, cybersecurity, ICT, manufacturing, education, finance, water, and agriculture.


Hadhramaut Figures: Saudi Arabia's Historic Stance Paves Way for New Phase of Stability

Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Hadhramaut Figures: Saudi Arabia's Historic Stance Paves Way for New Phase of Stability

Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Several prominent figures from Yemen's Hadhramaut praised on Monday's Saudi Arabia's stance on the governorate that prevented it from sliding towards deeper unrest and instability.

The figures told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kingdom's position was not limited to tackling the current crisis, but paves the way for a new phase of stability and development as parties prepare for a Riyadh conference on the southern issue.

The conference will mark a turning point in "rearranging" the political scene in the South, they remarked.

Hadhramaut is at a pivotal moment that demands united ranks that will come up with a unified vision that preserves the governorate's interests and allows it to play an effective role in any future political process, they added

Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Saudi Arabia's "historic" stance and determination over the December 3 developments prevented the governorate from slipping into chaos.

Hadhramaut may have escaped the crisis, but it has embarked on a new path towards progress and development, he stated.

The call for intra-south dialogue is a sign that a secure and stable future is on the horizon, he noted.

"We are already seeing these signs with Saudi Arabia's brotherly support," he remarked.

Another member of the council, Al-Hakam Abdullah al-Nahdi, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the support offered by Saudi Arabia, led by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, will be "etched in Hadhramaut's memory and relayed to generations to come."

"Hadhramaut represents a natural strategic depth to the Kingdom and its security is indivisible from Saudi Arabia's," he added.

"Were it not for Saudi Arabia's stance, we would have been mired in chaos," he went on to say.

He said he was optimistic about the future as long as Saudi Arabia was by Hadhramaut's side, calling on the people to "seize this opportunity by rallying together and shunning division."


Somalia Cancels All UAE Deals

A meeting of the Somali government. (Somali National News Agency)
A meeting of the Somali government. (Somali National News Agency)
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Somalia Cancels All UAE Deals

A meeting of the Somali government. (Somali National News Agency)
A meeting of the Somali government. (Somali National News Agency)

Somalia's government said on Monday that it was annulling all agreements with the United Arab Emirates, including port deals and defense and ‌security cooperation, ‌citing ‌evidence ⁠the UAE had ‌undermined its national sovereignty. 

"The Council of Ministers has annulled all agreements concluded with the United Arab Emirates, ⁠including those involving federal governmental ‌institutions, affiliated entities, and ‍regional administrations ‍operating within the territory ‍of the Federal Republic of Somalia," a statement from Somalia's Council of Ministers said. 

"This decision applies to all agreements ⁠and partnerships relating to the ports of Berbera, Bosaso, and Kismayo ... (and) bilateral security and defense cooperation agreements," the statement added.