Kingdom seeks global backing for Palestinians

Saudi Arabia on Monday urged the international community to adopt a united and decisive stand to help the Palestinians get their legitimate rights including an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital on the basis of UN resolutions. The weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, also urged the international community to pressure Israel to give up its logic of power, adopting the choice of peace, and accept the establishment of a Palestinian state. Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the Cabinet reviewed the efforts being made at Arab and Islamic levels to contain the crisis in Syria and praised the endeavors of the Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation in this respect. The Cabinet meeting reiterated its condemnation of the attacks targeting diplomatic missions, urging all countries to respect international agreements and charters that ensure the safety of foreign diplomats and embassies. The Cabinet statement comes after the Iranian attack on the British Embassy in Tehran last week. “The attack was a breach of the Vienna agreement on diplomatic relations,” said an official source at the Saudi Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. Under the Vienna agreement, the host country has the responsibility to protect a foreign diplomatic mission, its staff and properties, the source pointed out. Britain shut the Iranian Embassy in London and expelled all its staff on Wednesday, saying the storming of the British mission in Tehran on Tuesday could not have taken place without the consent of the Iranian regime. The Cabinet meeting also denounced the Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians and its move to construct 650 homes in the occupied Arab territories and change its demographic nature. Israel is also planning to construct a new road, grabbing more Palestinian land. Khoja said the meeting praised the launch of a 20-volume Saudi encyclopedia in Arabic that provides authentic and comprehensive information about Saudi Arabia, its history, culture and progress. Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah unveiled the work during a ceremony at King Abdul Aziz Public Library in Riyadh on Sunday. The Cabinet commended the library for carrying out the encyclopedia project that took its researchers 10 years to complete. Meanwhile, Prince Muhammad bin Saad and Prince Saud bin Naif took oaths of office as deputy governor of Riyadh and member of the Allegiance Commission respectively, in front of King Abdullah. The king congratulated the two officials and wished them every success. Defense Minister Prince Salman and State Minister and Commander of the National Guard Prince Miteb bin Abdullah attended the ceremony.