UAE-Israel Accord Set for September 15

The national flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates flutter along a highway following the agreement to formalize ties between the two countries, in Netanya, Israel August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Nir Elias -/File Photo
The national flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates flutter along a highway following the agreement to formalize ties between the two countries, in Netanya, Israel August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Nir Elias -/File Photo
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UAE-Israel Accord Set for September 15

The national flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates flutter along a highway following the agreement to formalize ties between the two countries, in Netanya, Israel August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Nir Elias -/File Photo
The national flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates flutter along a highway following the agreement to formalize ties between the two countries, in Netanya, Israel August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Nir Elias -/File Photo

Israel and the United Arab Emirates will sign a US-brokered agreement normalizing their relations in Washington on September 15, a senior White House official said Tuesday.

President Donald Trump will host a historic signing ceremony at the White House, he announced.

Meanwhile, Palestinian Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said Tuesday that President Mahmoud Abbas will not accept insulting the national symbols of any of the Arab countries, including the UAE.

Abu Rudeineh said Abbas stressed the importance of maintaining good brotherly relations with all Arab countries on the basis of mutual respect, adding Arab countries must adhere to the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002.

The presidential statement came after the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Nayef Al-Hajraf, condemned Monday “the irresponsible language of incitement and threat” used against GCC countries in a meeting for Palestinian factions.

The GCC chief deplored what he called “fallacies and skepticism” on the historic stance of GCC states in support of Palestinians.

Al-Hajraf called upon Palestinian leaders, as well as the participants in the meeting headed by Abbas, to apologize for these transgressions and provocative and false statements that are inconsistent with the reality and the history of relations between the GCC counties and Palestinians.

Also on Tuesday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh affirmed that the Arab Peace Initiative is the reference set by Arabs to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict.

During a phone call with Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said, Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Shtayyeh called on Muscat to play a role in a constructive Arab dialogue in order to restore Arab unity regarding various issues, particularly the Palestinian cause, and to develop a clear and joint Arab strategy to address these issues.

The Arab League is expected to hold a meeting in Cairo on Wednesday during which the accord between Israel and the UAE will be debated.



Saudi Arabia Stresses Need to Speed up Reform Process at UN Security Council

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Stresses Need to Speed up Reform Process at UN Security Council

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government underlined on Tuesday the Kingdom’s call for speeding up the process of reforming the United Nations Security Council to bolster its credibility and efficiency given the challenges and mounting conflicts in the world and the wavering trust in the international system.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the cabinet session in Riyadh.

The cabinet welcomed the formation of the "International Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution", proposed by the Kingdom in partnership with the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, Norway, and the European Union.

It underlined the Kingdom's commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The cabinet reiterated the call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and all violations of international law, demanding accountability for those hindering peace efforts.

Crown Prince Mohammed briefed the cabinet on the recent written message he received from Jordan’s King Abdullah II that covered relations between their countries.

The cabinet reviewed the latest regional and international developments. It commended the Kingdom's delegation at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which delivered Saudi Arabia's unwavering principles and positions on Arab issues, and international peace and security, and its commitment to join efforts to address global challenges.

Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dossary said the ministers noted the Kingdom's announcement that it will provide monthly financial support to Palestinians, as well as medical and relief aid to the Lebanese people.

The gestures are proof of the Kingdom's efforts to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip and its surroundings, and to help Lebanon as Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah in the country.

Moreover, the cabinet said the Kingdom hopes for active international participation in the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) that will be held in Riyadh in December.

The Kingdom hopes the event will mark a significant shift in the convention's trajectory and will serve as an important global platform for collaborative efforts to tackle major environmental challenges.

The cabinet also deemed the Kingdom's unanimous victory in the elections for the presidency of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies (GlobE Network) as a reflection of the international community's appreciation for the Kingdom's efforts to combat transnational corruption, and for its continuous support for achieving international goals in this respect.

On domestic level, the cabinet praised Crown Prince Mohammed’s announcement of the launch of Riyadh Foundation, which reflects the state's efforts to support and develop institutional and social work, and consolidate the community's contribution to the implementation of the non-profit sector programs.

The cabinet reviewed the Pre-Budget Statement for Fiscal Year 2025, which emphasized the government's continuous promotion of spending directed at essential services for citizens and residents, and the execution of strategic projects meant to secure economic growth and achieve sustainable development.