Saudi Arabia Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon 

An Irish UN soldier, takes notes as he stand guards at entrance of the Irish UN peacekeepers base, in Tireh village, south Lebanon, Friday Dec. 16, 2022. (AP)
An Irish UN soldier, takes notes as he stand guards at entrance of the Irish UN peacekeepers base, in Tireh village, south Lebanon, Friday Dec. 16, 2022. (AP)
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Saudi Arabia Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon 

An Irish UN soldier, takes notes as he stand guards at entrance of the Irish UN peacekeepers base, in Tireh village, south Lebanon, Friday Dec. 16, 2022. (AP)
An Irish UN soldier, takes notes as he stand guards at entrance of the Irish UN peacekeepers base, in Tireh village, south Lebanon, Friday Dec. 16, 2022. (AP)

Saudi Arabia condemned on Friday the attack against a convoy of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). 

The Foreign Ministry called for an immediate and transparent probe into the attack that left an Irish soldier dead. 

It stressed the Kingdom’s rejection of all forms of violence, underling its full support to UNIFIL. 

It offered its condolences to the people and government of Ireland, wishing the wounded a speedy recovery. 

The peacekeeper's convoy came under fire late Wednesday near the southern village of Al-Aqbiya, the Irish military said, wounding three other members of the UN force. 

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and army chief Joseph Aoun visited on Friday the UNIFIL headquarters in the border town of Naqura, denouncing the attack that claimed private Sean Rooney's life. 

UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti called it "a very serious incident" and told reporters it was "important" for the Lebanese authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. 

It is the first death of a UNIFIL member in a violent incident in Lebanon since January 2015, when a Spanish peacekeeper was killed during retaliatory Israeli fire.  

UNIFIL was set up in 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces after they invaded Lebanon in reprisal for a Palestinian attack.   

Now with nearly 10,000 troops, the UN force acts as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon, which remain technically at war.   

Israel withdrew from south Lebanon in 2000 but fought a devastating 2006 war with the Iran-backed movement Hezbollah and its allies.   

UNIFIL was beefed up to oversee the ceasefire that ended that conflict.  



Saudi Govt Reiterates Support for Efforts that Bolster Regional, Int’l Peace and Security

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 Reiterates Support for Efforts that Bolster Regional, Int’l Peace and Security

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 reiterated on Tuesday its keenness on bolstering regional and international security and peace.

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

The government underscored the Kingdom’s support for efforts to reach political solutions to regional and global conflicts. It also stressed its backing to every effort that could boost cooperation to confront international challenges.

King Salman thanked the leaders of friendly and brotherly countries for their messages of congratulations on the occasion of Saudi Arabia’s National Day, which falls on September 23.

The ministers hailed the Royal speech delivered at the inauguration of the first year of the ninth session of the Shura Council, which outlined the nation's priorities, goals, and achievements, and reiterated the Kingdom's unwavering commitment to promoting peace and prosperity in the world.

The ministers expressed gratitude to King Salman for his Royal Order approving the King Salman Foundation bylaws. They commended the foundation, which is a reflection of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' commitment to building sustainable societies and investing in human development, and an extension of his longstanding tradition of charitable and humanitarian deeds.

The cabinet welcomed the United Nations General Assembly's adoption of a resolution calling for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.

It stressed the need to take concrete and credible steps to achieve a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions.

The cabinet hoped the Pact for the Future, adopted by the UN summit, will mark a significant turning point in multilateral action.

The Kingdom believes that the pact can help establish a modern and equitable international system that fosters rapid progress toward sustainable development goals, addresses the needs of all nations, bridges the digital gap, and supports emerging economies to strengthen the global financial system.

In addition, the cabinet deemed the Kingdom's successful bid for the presidency of the International Coral Reef Initiative as a testament to its international recognition and standing in the field of marine environment protection, biodiversity, and ecosystem conservation.

Moreover, the cabinet expressed pride in the Kingdom's impressive results in the UN indicators concerning e-government development and tourism. They further strengthen the Kingdom's leading position and highlight the significant progress it has made in various fields, conforming with the goals of Vision 2030.