Saudi Arabia Stresses Commitment to Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its Capital

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 20, 2017. Palestinian President Office (PPO)/Handout via REUTERS
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 20, 2017. Palestinian President Office (PPO)/Handout via REUTERS
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Saudi Arabia Stresses Commitment to Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its Capital

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 20, 2017. Palestinian President Office (PPO)/Handout via REUTERS
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 20, 2017. Palestinian President Office (PPO)/Handout via REUTERS

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, reiterated his country’s firm stance on the Palestinian issue and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

King Salman received Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday in his palace in Riyadh, where the two sides held a session of talks on the recent developments in the Palestinian territories.

In earlier comments, Palestinian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bassem al-Agha, said that developments in the Palestinian issue and Jerusalem would be the main focus of the Saudi-Palestinian summit talks in Riyadh, pointing to the Saudi firm stance on the Palestinian cause.

The Palestinian leader arrived in the Kingdom on Tuesday night. King Salman held a luncheon banquet in his honor.



Mohamed bin Zayed, European Council President Discuss Strengthening Ties and Regional Developments

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meets with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, in Abu Dhabi. WAM
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meets with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, in Abu Dhabi. WAM
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Mohamed bin Zayed, European Council President Discuss Strengthening Ties and Regional Developments

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meets with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, in Abu Dhabi. WAM
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meets with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, in Abu Dhabi. WAM

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, have discussed ways to develop and expand relations to serve the common interests of all sides and foster growth and prosperity.

During Friday’s meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed emphasized the deep ties between the UAE and the European Union, as well as the ongoing commitment to strengthening these relations to support their shared goals and promote peace and development at both the regional and global levels.

The meeting also touched upon the upcoming Gulf Cooperation Council-European Union summit scheduled for October in Brussels. The UAE President and Michel emphasized the significance of the summit in advancing relations, especially in economic and developmental areas, and setting the stage for further progress in the years ahead.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and the European Council President also reviewed several regional and international issues of mutual concern, particularly developments in the Middle East. They underscored the importance of reaching an urgent ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip to allow for adequate humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of its residents. They also stressed the need to de-escalate tensions in the West Bank and to push for a permanent and stable peace process based on the two-state solution.

Both sides emphasized the seriousness of escalating tensions in the region and the critical need for international efforts to contain and prevent the expansion of conflicts, which pose a threat to regional security and stability.

Sheikh Mohamed reiterated the UAE’s support for all efforts aimed at bringing an end to the conflict in Gaza and fostering stability and peace in the region. He also highlighted the UAE's commitment to cooperating with the European Union and other concerned parties to enhance the humanitarian response to the worsening situation in Gaza and support regional stability.

Charles Michel praised the UAE's position in support of Gulf-European cooperation and its influential humanitarian role in Gaza. He also commended the UAE’s contributions to peace and stability in the Middle East.