RIYADH: rejects and condemns Israeli attacks in the region, including the “brutal aggression” against Qatar on Tuesday, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.
Israeli authorities attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an airstrike on Doha. The attack drew condemnation from , Egypt, the UAE and the EU, and risks derailing Gaza ceasefire talks.
In an annual address to the Shoura Council on Wednesday, delivered on behalf of King Salman, the crown prince said Arab, Islamic and international action is needed to confront such aggression.
International measures are also required to deter the Israeli military from its criminal practices that threaten the security and stability of the region, he added.
“We will stand with Qatar without limit in all its actions, and we will harness all our capabilities to achieve this,” the prince said.
“We also condemn the continued brutal attacks against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the persistence of the crimes of starvation and forced displacement.
“The land of Gaza is Palestinian, and the rights of its people are inalienable and cannot be taken away by aggression or nullified by threats. Our position remains unwavering: to protect this right and work diligently to prevent its violations.
“The Arab Peace Initiative, launched by the Kingdom in 2002 and implemented internationally through the perspective of a two-state solution, represents today an unprecedented path to achieving a Palestinian state.”
The Kingdom’s intensive efforts toward achieving this have borne fruit, he said, resulting in more countries officially recognizing the State of Palestine, and the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which took place in New York in July and has garnered unprecedented momentum.
Opinion
This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field)
Regarding Syria, the crown prince said the Kingdom had implemented several initiatives, including successful efforts to lift international sanctions on the country, and support for moves to ensure its territorial integrity and rebuild its economy.
“We hope for stability in Lebanon, Yemen and Sudan,” he added.
Turning to the Kingdom’s economy, the crown prince said continues to diversify and affirm its ability to reduce its dependence on oil.
“For the first time in our history, non-oil activities have achieved 56 percent of the gross domestic product, which has reached levels exceeding SR4.5 trillion ($1.2 trillion),” he added.
“All of this, and other achievements, have made the Kingdom a global hub attracting diverse activities. Perhaps the fact that 660 international companies have chosen the Kingdom as their regional headquarters, exceeding the 2030 target, reflects the achievements in infrastructure and the level of technical services, confirming the strength of the Saudi economy and its broad future prospects.”
