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.



Saudi National Center for Meteorology Warns of Heavy Rain in Makkah

Worshippers are seen at the Grand Mosque in Makkah amid rainfall. (SPA)
Worshippers are seen at the Grand Mosque in Makkah amid rainfall. (SPA)
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Saudi National Center for Meteorology Warns of Heavy Rain in Makkah

Worshippers are seen at the Grand Mosque in Makkah amid rainfall. (SPA)
Worshippers are seen at the Grand Mosque in Makkah amid rainfall. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Meteorology warned on Friday of heavy rains in Makkah and Al-Jumum Governorate including the centers of Rahat and Madrakah.

The rain will be accompanied by strong winds, lack of horizontal visibility, hail, torrents, and thunderstorms.

It said the weather conditions will continue until Friday night.

Meanwhile, the General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, in cooperation with other government agencies working in the Grand Mosque, intensified cleaning and drying of the Mataf area (circumambulation track) after the rainfall witnessed in Makkah on Thursday to ensure the safety and security of worshippers and Umrah performers.

The authority mobilized more than 200 supervisors and observers, 4,000 workers, and more than 500 pieces of equipment to deal with the rain.

To ensure the thoroughness of the cleaning process, water suction and washing equipment were strategically distributed both inside and outside the Grand Mosque.