Saudi Arabia, Jordan Call for Protecting Palestinians from Israeli Attacks

Palestinian medics evacuate a wounded person at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque on May 1, 2021. (AFP)
Palestinian medics evacuate a wounded person at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque on May 1, 2021. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia, Jordan Call for Protecting Palestinians from Israeli Attacks

Palestinian medics evacuate a wounded person at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque on May 1, 2021. (AFP)
Palestinian medics evacuate a wounded person at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque on May 1, 2021. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia and Jordan called on Tuesday for effective international efforts to protect Palestinians from Israeli attacks and violations.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi held a telephone call to emphasize the need of develop an effective international effort to protect the Palestinians from Israeli attacks and violations. They also discussed boosting their bilateral relations.

The statement said the two ministers condemned "illegal Israeli practices", warning that continued Israeli aggression and the eviction of Palestinian families from their homes will have consequences on the regional security and stability.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia categorically rejected the forced displacement of Jerusalemites from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

The Saudi statement came during the emergency virtual meeting of the Permanent Representatives Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held upon the request of Palestine.

The meeting, chaired by Niger, discussed the situation in Palestine following the recent brutal attacks by the Israeli forces on the Palestinian people, especially in Jerusalem.

The Kingdom's permanent OIC representative, Saleh al-Suhaibani, indicated that Saudi Arabia's continuous support for the Palestinians stems from its deep belief in the just Palestinian cause.

Suhaibani asserted the need to intensify international efforts to end this conflict in order to allow the Palestinians to recover their legitimate rights and establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The representative underscored Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the plans and measures carried out by Israeli forces aimed at evicting Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem by force and imposing sovereignty over them.

He warned that such measures will have consequences, condemning at the same time any unilateral measures and any Israeli decisions that violate international resolutions and agreements.

Saudi Arabia stressed it will continue to defend the Palestinian cause regionally and internationally, foremost of which at the UN Security Council, to confront Israeli practices that threaten international peace and security and undermine efforts aimed at promoting stability in the region.

Suhaibani renewed the Kingdom’s support of the Palestinian people, their just cause, their legitimate rights and all the efforts aimed at reaching a fair and comprehensive solution to the conflict.

Saudi Arabia called on the international community to take immediate action to put an end to the Israeli violations and help the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights in establishing security and safety and achieving economic growth that allows them to live a decent life.

For its part, the OIC condemned Israel’s persistence in pursuing its colonial program in building settlements and seeking to forcibly seize Palestinian properties and displace them from their land.

The meeting also denounced the attacks against the residents of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods of Jerusalem, describing them as flagrant violations of international humanitarian law.

In a speech, OIC Secretary-General Dr. Yousef al-Othaimeen praised the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem and their response to the Israeli attacks on the holy sites, especially al-Aqsa Mosque.

Othaimeen renewed the organization’s commitment to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to end the occupation, gain freedom and independence and establish a sovereign independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.



Saudi Govt Rejects Any Attempts to Undermine Somalia’s Sovereignty

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Rejects Any Attempts to Undermine Somalia’s Sovereignty

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the Cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government stressed on Tuesday the Kingdom’s rejection of any attempts “to create parallel entities that undermine Somalia's unity, territorial integrity, or national sovereignty.”

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the Cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.

The Cabinet welcomed the outcomes of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's extraordinary meeting on Somalia in Jeddah that stressed the Kingdom’s stance on Somalia.

The Cabinet reviewed recent high-level discussions between the Kingdom and various countries, focusing on regional developments, ongoing efforts to anchor security and peace, and the Kingdom's commitment to multilateral initiatives that drive global stability and foster collective responses to shared challenges.

The Cabinet reiterated the centrality of the Palestinian cause, stressing the Kingdom's unwavering support for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. These efforts aim to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Cabinet commended the successful conclusion of the Gulf Shield 2026 joint military exercise, hosted by Saudi Arabia. Featuring the air and air defense forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the GCC Unified Military Command, the exercise underscored the commitment to boosting regional defense cooperation and strengthening collective military readiness.

The Cabinet reviewed several high-profile economic events hosted by the Kingdom, specifically highlighting the Saudi-Japan Ministerial Investment Forum and the Saudi-Canadian Business and Investment Forum. The summits resulted in numerous memoranda of understanding across strategic sectors, including space, cybersecurity, ICT, manufacturing, education, finance, water, and agriculture.


Hadhramaut Figures: Saudi Arabia's Historic Stance Paves Way for New Phase of Stability

Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Hadhramaut Figures: Saudi Arabia's Historic Stance Paves Way for New Phase of Stability

Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Several prominent figures from Yemen's Hadhramaut praised on Monday's Saudi Arabia's stance on the governorate that prevented it from sliding towards deeper unrest and instability.

The figures told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kingdom's position was not limited to tackling the current crisis, but paves the way for a new phase of stability and development as parties prepare for a Riyadh conference on the southern issue.

The conference will mark a turning point in "rearranging" the political scene in the South, they remarked.

Hadhramaut is at a pivotal moment that demands united ranks that will come up with a unified vision that preserves the governorate's interests and allows it to play an effective role in any future political process, they added

Sheikh Essam Al-Kathiri, Secretary-General of the Hadhramaut National Council, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Saudi Arabia's "historic" stance and determination over the December 3 developments prevented the governorate from slipping into chaos.

Hadhramaut may have escaped the crisis, but it has embarked on a new path towards progress and development, he stated.

The call for intra-south dialogue is a sign that a secure and stable future is on the horizon, he noted.

"We are already seeing these signs with Saudi Arabia's brotherly support," he remarked.

Another member of the council, Al-Hakam Abdullah al-Nahdi, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the support offered by Saudi Arabia, led by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, will be "etched in Hadhramaut's memory and relayed to generations to come."

"Hadhramaut represents a natural strategic depth to the Kingdom and its security is indivisible from Saudi Arabia's," he added.

"Were it not for Saudi Arabia's stance, we would have been mired in chaos," he went on to say.

He said he was optimistic about the future as long as Saudi Arabia was by Hadhramaut's side, calling on the people to "seize this opportunity by rallying together and shunning division."


Somalia Cancels All UAE Deals

A meeting of the Somali government. (Somali National News Agency)
A meeting of the Somali government. (Somali National News Agency)
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Somalia Cancels All UAE Deals

A meeting of the Somali government. (Somali National News Agency)
A meeting of the Somali government. (Somali National News Agency)

Somalia's government said on Monday that it was annulling all agreements with the United Arab Emirates, including port deals and defense and ‌security cooperation, ‌citing ‌evidence ⁠the UAE had ‌undermined its national sovereignty. 

"The Council of Ministers has annulled all agreements concluded with the United Arab Emirates, ⁠including those involving federal governmental ‌institutions, affiliated entities, and ‍regional administrations ‍operating within the territory ‍of the Federal Republic of Somalia," a statement from Somalia's Council of Ministers said. 

"This decision applies to all agreements ⁠and partnerships relating to the ports of Berbera, Bosaso, and Kismayo ... (and) bilateral security and defense cooperation agreements," the statement added.