Saudi Arabia Condemns New Israeli Settlement Plan in East Jerusalem

A Jewish settler walks past Israeli settlement construction sites around Givat Zeev and Ramat Givat Zeev in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, near Jerusalem June 30, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
A Jewish settler walks past Israeli settlement construction sites around Givat Zeev and Ramat Givat Zeev in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, near Jerusalem June 30, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
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Saudi Arabia Condemns New Israeli Settlement Plan in East Jerusalem

A Jewish settler walks past Israeli settlement construction sites around Givat Zeev and Ramat Givat Zeev in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, near Jerusalem June 30, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
A Jewish settler walks past Israeli settlement construction sites around Givat Zeev and Ramat Givat Zeev in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, near Jerusalem June 30, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday voiced “deep concern” over the Israeli authorities’ decision to invite contractor bids to build 1,257 new settlements near East Jerusalem and said it contravened international resolutions.

“The ministry affirms the Kingdom’s condemnation and rejection of the move, which contravenes international resolutions, undermines the two-state solution and negatively affects efforts to bring peace to the region,” it said in a statement.

Several Arab states announced similar stances towards Israel moving ahead with a settler housing plan in occupied Jerusalem city.

In this context, speaker of Arab Parliament Adel Abdurrahman Al-Assoumi condemned the Israeli move on Tuesday, saying it falls under the rejected settlement policy in the Palestinian territories.

Assoumi said the Israeli plan is a flagrant breach of international law and international legitimacy resolutions, which undermines the two-state solution.

The speaker demanded the international community to announce rejection of this dangerous decision and to perform their role in halting the ongoing Israeli crimes against the Palestinians.

For its part, the Committee of Religious Affairs and Endowments in the Egyptian Parliament also denounced the decision, which it said aims to change the demographic reality and deform the genuine Palestinian identity.

The international community is required to take a decisive stance to halt the Israeli settlement on the Palestinian lands, a statement by the Committee added.

"The community should perform its international, legal, and ethical duties and responsibilities in putting an end to such plans."



Fire at a Telecom Company in Cairo Injures 14 and Temporarily Disrupts Service

 Smoke rises after a fire erupted in a telecommunications building in the Ramses district of downtown Cairo, Egypt July 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Smoke rises after a fire erupted in a telecommunications building in the Ramses district of downtown Cairo, Egypt July 7, 2025. (Reuters)
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Fire at a Telecom Company in Cairo Injures 14 and Temporarily Disrupts Service

 Smoke rises after a fire erupted in a telecommunications building in the Ramses district of downtown Cairo, Egypt July 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Smoke rises after a fire erupted in a telecommunications building in the Ramses district of downtown Cairo, Egypt July 7, 2025. (Reuters)

A fire engulfed the main telecom company building in downtown Cairo on Monday, injuring at least 14 people and prompting a temporary outage of internet and mobile phone services, officials said.

The 14 injured were taken to nearby hospitals, the Health Ministry said in a statement. A witness told news broadcaster Cairo 24 that two emergency responders suffered burns on their hands.

The fire started on the seventh floor of a landmark 10-story Telecom Egypt building in the Ramses area of Cairo, the governor's office said in a statement.

Ambulances and firetrucks were on site as plumes of dark smoke rose in the downtown. Firefighters put up ladders as firetrucks spewed water to contain the blaze, while security officials cordoned off the area.

The fire broke in an equipment room of Telecom Egypt and led to a temporary disruption of telecom services, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said in a statement. Telecom services were expected to be restored within hours, the authority said. Online payment services were also disrupted.

NetBlocks, a global internet monitor said on X that network data show national connectivity was at 62% of ordinary levels amid reports of the fire at the telecoms datacenter in Cairo.