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Saudi Ambassador: Mufti Khaled's Assassination Was Prelude to Assassination of Whole of Lebanon

Ambassador Bukhari speaks during the commemoration. (Nabil Ismail)
Ambassador Bukhari speaks during the commemoration. (Nabil Ismail)
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Saudi Ambassador: Mufti Khaled's Assassination Was Prelude to Assassination of Whole of Lebanon

Ambassador Bukhari speaks during the commemoration. (Nabil Ismail)
Ambassador Bukhari speaks during the commemoration. (Nabil Ismail)

Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Lebanon, Waleed Bukhari said on Monday that the 1989 assassination of Grand Mufti Sheikh Hassan Khaled was a prelude to the assassination of all of Lebanon, while describing the results of the recent parliamentary elections as "honorable".

The ambassador was speaking at the fifth Saudi-Lebanese Cultural Forum, held at his residence in Beirut on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the assassination of the grand mufti.

He said Sheikh Khaled was a symbol of "religion, national unity, partnership, sovereignty and independence."

Bukhari added that Lebanon was going through difficult times, particularly when it comes to its Arab identity.

"The honorable elections have, however, led to the fall of all symbols of deceit, betrayal and the industry of death and hatred," he remarked.

Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies lost their majority in the elections.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian said Sheikh Khaled "was martyred for the cause of keeping Lebanon free, sovereign, independent, and Arab."

Caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi praised Lebanon’s relations with Saudi Arabia, stressing there was no estrangement between Beirut and "the Kingdom of goodness."

Sheikh Khaled was assassinated in a car bomb in Beirut during Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war. No one has been arrested in his killing.

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Saudi Arabia Urges Global Support for Two-State Solution Alliance

A group photo from the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, Qatar (SPA)
A group photo from the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, Qatar (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Urges Global Support for Two-State Solution Alliance

A group photo from the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, Qatar (SPA)
A group photo from the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, Qatar (SPA)

The ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and Lebanon, along with rising regional tensions, took center stage at the third Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit in Doha, which began on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia urged countries to back the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a key step toward resolving the Middle East crisis.
Speaking on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan attended the ACD summit and highlighted how continued violence in the region is disrupting international trade and fueling political tensions, which threaten investments and economic cooperation.
“The continuation of aggression and violations in the region hinder the movement of international trade and increase political tensions that threaten the flow of investments and economic cooperation between the countries of the region and the world,” he said.
He called for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts to ensure the region’s prosperity.
“We thank Asia Cooperation Dialogue countries for their support for the two-state solution and their recognition of the State of Palestine, and we urge the rest of the world to follow suit,” Prince Faisal said, reminding that the situation has prompted the Kingdom to work with “brothers and allies in establishing a Global Alliance to Implement the Two-State Solution.”
He stressed that the current unrest in Palestine and Lebanon is a major barrier to economic and commercial development in the region.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s continued support for resistance groups.
“The Zionist enemy will be punished, and we will keep supporting the resistance until Palestine is liberated,” said Pezeshkian.
Also speaking at the ACD summit, he emphasized: “Those who violate human rights must know that resistance is strong and cannot be eliminated.”
Pezeshkian reiterated Iran’s backing for Palestinian resistance.
After meeting with a Hamas delegation in Doha, Pezeshkian warned that Israel’s ongoing actions had led Iran’s military to deliver a decisive response.
“Israel couldn’t commit these crimes without backing from the US and Europe. If Israel makes any mistake against Iran, it will face a much stronger retaliation than Tuesday’s attack,” he said.
Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” and warned of the consequences of not holding Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity.
Speaking at the summit, Sheikh Tamim said: “Qatar has long warned about the dangers of not addressing Israel’s crimes.”
He pointed to the escalating violence in Gaza, noting that true security can only be achieved through a just peace, which includes creating an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.
He stressed that Qatar will continue to support the Palestinian people in their fight for their legitimate rights.
“Israel’s relentless attacks on civilians in Gaza and other occupied areas have killed over 41,000 innocent people. What’s happening is genocide, and Gaza is being made uninhabitable to force its residents out,” said Sheikh Tamim.
He also condemned Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, accusing Israel of using international inaction to expand settlements in the West Bank and prepare for annexation.
“We believe in de-escalating tensions and respecting nations’ sovereignty,” he added, stressing that Israel is taking advantage of global silence to push its agenda in the West Bank and Lebanon.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also called for urgent international intervention to stop Israeli aggression in Gaza and Lebanon.
He warned that Israel’s attacks have destroyed over 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure.
“Peace cannot coexist with occupation, genocide, and the denial of the Palestinian people’s rights,” Abbas reaffirmed at the ACD summit.