Saudi Arabia Welcomes Palestinian Reconciliation, Hopes It Consecrates National Unity

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chairs the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. Saudi Gazette
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chairs the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. Saudi Gazette
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Saudi Arabia Welcomes Palestinian Reconciliation, Hopes It Consecrates National Unity

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chairs the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. Saudi Gazette
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chairs the Cabinet's session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. Saudi Gazette

Saudi Cabinet stressed on Monday what Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had said during his meetings with Russian officials regarding calling the international community to intensify efforts to combat extremism and terrorism and dry up their sources of funding.

The cabinet also reiterated the necessity to end the suffering of the Palestinians and the importance of maintaining stability and security in the Gulf and the Middle East to achieve global security and stability.

It also tackled the importance of the political settlement for the Yemeni crisis, the end of the crisis in Syria while maintaining its unity, protecting Iraq’s unity and territorial integrity and uniting its internal front to fight terrorism and calling upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities with regard to Muslims in Rohingya.

This came during the cabinet session, which was held at Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Tuesday under the chairmanship of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, who briefed the cabinet on the outcomes of his visit to Russia and his talks and meetings with President Vladimir Putin and prominent Russian officials.

He also talked about his meetings with Presidents of Tatarstan, Ingushetia, Chechnya, and Bashkiria during which they discussed bilateral relations to achieve the aspirations of the two countries and push them forward to broader, more comprehensive horizons.

He emphasized, during his meetings in Russia, on the Kingdom’s keenness to boost relations between Saudi Arabia and Russia and on the continuity of positive bilateral cooperation to achieve the stability of the world oil markets for the interest of the global economic growth.

Internally, the cabinet praised the achievements made by the State Security Presidency as it managed to dismantle an ISIS-linked terrorist cell along with raiding three sites affiliated to the cell and arresting five of its members in addition to 22 persons accused of inciting criminalized acts according to the Islamic Sharia and law and the country's regulations.

Following the session, Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Awwad bin Saleh al-Awwad told SPA that the cabinet has commended the outcomes of King Salman's visit to Russia, which contributed to strengthening and cementing bilateral relations, the exchange of agreements, memorandums of understanding and cooperation programs signed between the two countries.

The Cabinet expressed gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the royal decrees he had issued to meet the needs of the homeland and its citizens, including the establishment of the National Development Fund to carry out the general supervision, as organization, regulatory and operational of the funds and banks in order to improve their performance to achieve the desired goals of their establishment, reflecting the wise leadership's interest in supporting the march of supporting development programs and projects that serve citizens directly.

He said that the Cabinet reviewed a number of reports on latest regional and international developments, welcoming the development of the Palestinian reconciliation efforts and expressed the Kingdom's hope that the efforts of the Government of Reconciliation will contribute to the consolidation of national unity and the unity of Palestinian ranks to meet the ambitions of the brotherly Palestinian people.



Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee Kicks Off 12th Session in Riyadh

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
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Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee Kicks Off 12th Session in Riyadh

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA

The 12th session of the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee kicked off Sunday in Riyadh, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and bringing together representatives from government entities of both countries to discuss opportunities for expanding cooperation and developing strategic partnerships across various economic and development sectors.

The committee session was co-chaired by Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef and Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning Dr. Samir Abdelhafidh, attended by official delegations and government sector representatives from both countries, SPA reported.

In his opening remarks, Alkhorayef emphasized the strength of Saudi-Tunisian relations and the brotherly and economic ties between the two countries, which span more than 70 years. He noted that these ties are reflected today in shared visions and ambitious work programs that align with the aspirations of both countries’ leaderships and peoples, as well as their mutual interests.

He pointed out that the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee, launched in 1998, represents an institutional framework aimed at translating cooperation into executable programs and initiatives. He expressed his hope that this session would serve as a new starting point for joint strategic projects and more impactful agreements that contribute to the economic development of both countries.

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors. The minister called on companies in both countries to build practical partnerships in promising industries and value chains. He also highlighted the outcomes of the third meeting, held in Tunisia in July 2025, namely the agreements on mutual recognition of product conformity certificates, which positively contributed to a 38% growth in trade exchange through September 2025 compared with the same period last year.

The committee’s current session focused on boosting cooperation mechanisms, discussing investment opportunities, and exchanging expertise in key sectors, including industry, mining, tourism, transport and logistics, and the judiciary and justice sectors. These efforts aim to enhance trade efficiency, support the access of Saudi products to international markets, and strengthen economic and investment cooperation.


77th Saudi Relief Plane for Palestinian People in Gaza Arrives in Egypt

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
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77th Saudi Relief Plane for Palestinian People in Gaza Arrives in Egypt

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA

The 77th Saudi relief airplane, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the Kingdom’s Embassy in Cairo, arrived Sunday at El Arish International Airport in Egypt.

The airplane carried food baskets and shelter kits destined for those affected in the Gaza Strip, SPA reported.

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support, provided through the center, to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza.


Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Saturday it “was time for the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen to listen to reason and prioritize public interest and unity of ranks and respond to the Saudi-Emirati mediation to end the escalation.”

In a post on the X platform, he called on the STC to withdraw its forces from the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces and restore control to the National Shield and local authorities.

Prince Khalid said Saudi Arabia formed the Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen to help the country reclaim control over all of its territories.

The liberation of southern provinces was a pivotal development towards that goal, he stressed.

Saudi Arabia “views the southern issue as fundamental” to Yemen and it will not “exploit it in conflicts that do not serve” the nation, he added.

The Kingdom had brought together all Yemeni components to the Riyadh conference to come up with a clear path for a comprehensive political solution, including the southern issue, he went on to say.

The conference paved the way for a “just solution to their cause through dialogue and without the use of forces.”

“Saudi Arabia approved the decision to move the base of power so that the southerners could have a greater role in state institutions. It consolidated partnership instead of elimination or imposing a status quo through forces. Saudi Arabia also presented Yemen with economic support, as well as development and humanitarian initiatives that helped ease the suffering of the people,” Prince Khalid added.

“Saudi Arabia and its partners in the coalition offered sacrifices with their Yemeni brothers in liberating Aden and other provinces,” he noted. “The Kingdom has always sought that these sacrifices be made in the name of reclaiming territories and restoring the state, not as a path towards new conflicts.”

It had hoped that these sacrifices would have been “invested in the security of all Yemeni people, not exploited for petty gains, whereby the unfortunate developments in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra since the beginning of December 2025 have led to the division in ranks that should be united against the enemy.”

“The developments have laid waste to the sacrifices of our sons and Yemeni people and have harmed the just southern issue,” stressed Prince Khalid.

He noted that several southern leaderships and figures have exhibited “awareness and wisdom in supporting efforts to end the escalation in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra and prevent the secure southern provinces from being dragged into futile conflicts.”

“They are aware of the major challenges facing Yemen and will not allow saboteurs to achieve their goals in the country and the region,” he remarked.

He declared that the “southern issue will remain part of any comprehensive political solution. The cause will not be neglected or marginalized. It should be resolved through consensus, adhering to commitments and building trust between all Yemeni segments, not through adventures that only serve everyone's enemy.”