The Saudi government strongly condemned on Tuesday Israel’s plan to take over the Gaza Strip, accusing it of “ethnic cleansing and starvation of Palestinian civilians”.
It warned that the “international community and United Nations Security Council’s ongoing inability in stopping these violations is a direct threat to regional and international security and peace and will only encourage Israel’s genocidal practices and forced displacement of Palestinians from their land.”
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in NEOM.
The ministers reviewed the latest regional and international developments, leading with the developments in the Palestinian territories.
The cabinet welcomed Australia’s announcement that it intends to recognize the State of Palestine, and the possibility that New Zealand may follow. It said that these moves reflect growing international consensus over the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state according to the 1967 border and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Crown Prince Mohammed briefed the cabinet on the talks he held with Jordan’s King Abdullah II during their meeting in NEOM on Monday. Discussions focused on bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and Jordan and coordination over regional and international issues, starting with the developments in the Palestinian territories.
Crown Prince Mohammed briefed the cabinet also on the telephone talks he held with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday. Abbas expressed to the Crown Prince his country’s gratitude to the Kingdom’s efforts towards garnering greater international support for the recognition of the State of Palestine.
On international developments, the cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s support for efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis. It was briefed on the telephone talks held between Crown Prince Mohammed and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday.
The cabinet welcomed the peace agreement signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan last week, hoping it will help consolidate stability in the Caucasus and pave the way for a new phase of cooperation between the neighbors.
