Saudi Arabia calls for UN Security Council resolution to compel Israel to end war, ‘starvation’ of Gazans

Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil said Tel Aviv must comply with the UN Security Council’s own resolutions, which call for an immediate ceasefire and the delivery of aid into Gaza. (AFP file photo)
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Updated 18 July 2024
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Saudi Arabia calls for UN Security Council resolution to compel Israel to end war, ‘starvation’ of Gazans

  • Tel Aviv must end its ‘aggression’ and allow for urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to besieged Gaza
  • UN failure to stop Israel driven by ‘short-sighted, selfish political interests,’ says Saudi envoy Abdulaziz Alwasil

NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, on Wednesday called on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution that would compel Israel to end its war on Gaza.

Alwasil said Tel Aviv must comply with the Security Council’s own resolutions, which call for an immediate ceasefire and the delivery of aid into Gaza.

He said Israel, as the occupying power, must be forced to respect international law. This includes implementing the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures to end the genocide being perpetrated on the Palestinian people.

Alwasil said the UN Security Council, since the beginning of the assault on Gaza 10 months ago, has been holding “meeting after meeting to no avail.”

Meanwhile, the world continues to witness the Israeli “war machine deliberately targeting civilians and imposing the harshest forms of collective punishment by killing, displacing, starving and imposing a blockade on civilians.”

Alwasil added: “All of these blatant violations are happening before the eyes of the world and the international community continues to turn a blind eye.

“And this inaction pushed the occupation power, which is hiding behind a solid wall, to take advantage of this weakness and international silence to impose its inhumane, violent practices unabated.”

The Saudi Arabia envoy was speaking at a signature UN Security Council meeting called by Russia, which is holding the rotating presidency of the body for the month of July. It was chaired by Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Alwasil lamented the failure of the Security Council to stop the war, which he blamed on members of the body being bound by “short-sighted, selfish political interests that have impeded its ability to take the necessary firm actions to stop the Israeli aggression.”

“The failure by the international community and the Security Council to protect the innocent civilians has led so far to the killing of 38,000 people and the injury and maiming of tens of thousands, most of whom are women and children,” said Alwasil.

He added: “How can such a forced displacement that is recurrent in Gaza be justified? How can we stay silent in the face of this systematic starvation and deliberative blockade? How can the international community stand idly while a major humanitarian catastrophe is taking place before our eyes?”

Alwasil vowed that his country would continue to support the Palestinian right to self-determination and the establishment of a state on the lines of 1967 with East Jerusalem as the capital.

This would “ensure comprehensive justice (and) peace in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy.”


Saudi aid agency KSrelief launches pediatric surgical program in war-ravaged Sudan

Updated 4 sec ago
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief launches pediatric surgical program in war-ravaged Sudan

  • Medical team assesses 15 children and carries out 7 successful operations during first few days of the project, which is staffed by volunteers

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief this week launched a volunteer pediatric surgical program in the Sudanese city of Port Sudan.

By Wednesday, the medical team had assessed 15 children and carried out seven successful surgeries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Sudan is locked in a civil war between two rival factions of the country’s military government that began in April 2023. It has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced about 12 million people.

The conflict has also had a devastating effect on healthcare, with more than two-thirds of major hospitals in out of service, according to the World Health Organization.


Riyadh governor receives newly appointed Palestinian envoy

Updated 18 December 2024
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Riyadh governor receives newly appointed Palestinian envoy

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar received the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Palestine to the Kingdom Mazen Ghoneim in Riyadh on Wednesday.

During the meeting, they discussed various topics of common interest, and Prince Faisal wished the ambassador success in his new duties, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Baha Gov. Prince Hussam bin Saud bin Abdulaziz met with Ambassaor of India to the Kingdom Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan to discuss topics of mutual interest.
 


Saudi, Australian defense ministers meet in Riyadh

Updated 18 December 2024
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Saudi, Australian defense ministers meet in Riyadh

  • Prince Khalid, Richard Marles discuss latest developments in region

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman on Wednesday received his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles, at his office in Riyadh.

The pair discussed relations between their countries as well as the latest developments in the region, including efforts to support security and stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

A number of other senior officials from the two sides attended the meeting. Marles is also Australia’s deputy prime minister.


Riyadh events industry conference draws to a close

Updated 18 December 2024
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Riyadh events industry conference draws to a close

  • Industry leaders highlight investment opportunities
  • 3-day summit saw numerous deals agreed

RIYADH: Experts in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector spoke to Arab News about the need for international collaboration and local investment on the last day of industry talks in Riyadh.

On the final day of the International MICE Summit on Tuesday, business leaders highlighted how the booming industry offered unique opportunities for job creation and investment.

The three-day event covered sector-related issues and hosted the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding.

Six Saudi ministers took part in IMS24, which was organized by the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority. A total of 20 speaking sessions and 19 workshops were held, and eight MoUs signed.

IMS24 also witnessed companies including RX Global, Messe Munich, and Clarion announce the opening of new offices in Saudi Arabia, in preparation for 12 new events due to start in 2025.

Faisal Al-Rajhi, CEO of Almatar Travel Group, told Arab News that the Kingdom’s hosting of numerous exhibitions and conferences in recent years had helped it become a pioneering destination for the MICE industry.

Exhibitions and conferences were boosting job growth and offering local investors the chance to gain valuable insights from international experts, he added.

Mansour Al-Jabarty, CEO of YNZ, said IMS24 was an ideal platform for those seeking to gain expertise in the field and held exceptional significance given Saudi Arabia’s prominence in hosting such events.

Bilal Al-Barmawi, CEO and managing director of 1st Arabia, stressed the importance of building partnerships to increase MICE capabilities, while Ahmed Al-Saif, chairman of Max Group, added local investment in the sector had become an urgent necessity for companies seeking to go global.

The MICE segment was a key driver of economic growth, and the Saudi market was now an attractive destination for foreign investment, he added. This would not have been realized without the boom in exhibitions and conferences that the Kingdom has witnessed in recent times.


Saudi deputy foreign minister calls Sudanese parties to commit to Jeddah talks

Updated 18 December 2024
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Saudi deputy foreign minister calls Sudanese parties to commit to Jeddah talks

  • Al-Khuraiji welcomed extending the opening of Adre border crossing with Chad
  • He said solution in Sudan begins with a cessation of fighting

RIYADH: Waleed Al-Khuraiji, the Saudi deputy minister of foreign affairs, participated in the third round of Sudanese peace talks in Mauritania on Wednesday.

Al-Khuraiji affirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment toward the Sudanese people and highlighted its efforts to mediate in the ongoing conflict between warring parties, which began in April 2023 and has since displaced thousands of people in Sudan.

A month following the onset of the conflict, Saudi Arabia hosted talks in Jeddah with Sudanese parties and the US, resulting in a short-term ceasefire agreement and a commitment to protect civilians while reinstating security and stability in Sudan.

Al-Khuraiji said that “the solution to the Sudanese crisis begins with a cessation of fighting and strengthening the humanitarian response of the Sudanese people.”

He urged the Sudanese warring parties to adhere to the Jeddah agreement of May 2023, which he said serves as the foundation for Sudan’s political future, unity, and sovereignty, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Al-Khuraiji praised the Sudanese Armed Forces for extending the opening of the Adre border crossing with Chad, used by humanitarian agencies for aid delivery, as well as the opening of airports in Kassala, Ndola, and El-Obeid.