RIYADH — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He announced this while inaugurating, on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, the activities of the first year of the ninth session of the Shoura Council in Riyadh on Wednesday. Shoura Council Speaker Sheikh Abdullah Al-Sheikh and members of the Council, who were appointed to the ninth session of the Council recently by a royal order, took the oath of office before the Crown Prince. Delivering the annual address of the King at the Shoura Council, the Crown Prince outlined salient features of the domestic and foreign policies of Saudi Arabia. He reiterated that the Palestinian issue is at the forefront of Saudi Arabia's concerns. "We renew the Kingdom's rejection and strong condemnation of the crimes of the Israeli occupation authority against the Palestinian people, ignoring international and humanitarian law in a new and bitter chapter of suffering. The Kingdom will not stop its tireless work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and we affirm that the Kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that," he said while extending thanks to the countries that recognized the Palestinian state, saying that this is an embodiment of international legitimacy. He urged the rest of the countries to recognize Palestine. During the speech, the Crown Prince highlighted the remarkable progress and achievements made by Saudi Arabia on the domestic front. "As we are on the threshold of a new session of the Shoura Council, we emphasize the importance of the Council's role in improving the performance of state institutions, and its effective role in developing and modernizing systems, in addition to its oversight tasks and continuous follow-up of the implementation of approved strategies and plans. Since the launch of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, the citizen has been our focus, as he is its pillar and goal, and any achievement made through its comprehensive umbrella of various paths is an elevation for the homeland, a benefit for the citizen, and immunity for future generations from fluctuations and changes," he said. "We meet you today after we have completed parts of this journey with steady steps and continuous work, in which we are proud of achieving many targets at the national and international levels, and the Kingdom has advanced degrees in international indicators and classifications. We are moving forward with optimism and confidence in continuing the journey to achieve our targets, according to a comprehensive and integrated approach based on careful review and prioritization," he said. The Crown Prince said that Saudi Arabia has achieved many remarkable accomplishments during this great journey, and among the examples of these non-oil activities in the Kingdom, saying that it recorded its highest contribution to the real GDP at 50 percent last year, which enhanced the sustainability and comprehensiveness of growth and achieved high quality in economic diversification. The Public Investment Fund continues its role in achieving its goals to be a driving force for investment, and unemployment among citizens, both male and female, recorded its lowest historical level in the first quarter of 2024, reaching 7.6 percent after its rate was 12.8 percent in 2017. The Crown Prince noted that the percentage of home ownership for citizens increased from 47 percent in 2016 to more than 63 percent. In the field of tourism, achievements preceded the target date, as the National Tourism Strategy, launched in 2019, set a target of 100 million tourists in 2030, and this target was exceeded and reached 109 million tourists in 2023, and the Kingdom achieved the 16th rank among the most competitive countries. "With the exploration of natural resources, the Kingdom has become one of the largest natural resource stores in the world, and your country has also achieved an advanced position in the field of renewable energy, and has become one of the most active in it regionally and internationally," he said. "Today, as a result of its achievements and vision, the Kingdom enjoys global confidence that has made it one of the first destinations for global centers and major companies, most notably the opening of the regional center of the International Monetary Fund, and centers for various international activities in sports, investment, and culture, and a gateway for cultural communication, which contributed to its selection to host Expo 2030, and today it is preparing to organize the World Cup in 2034." "We are proud of the achievements of our citizens in the fields of innovation and science, and we pay great attention to education to be of a quality that enhances knowledge and innovation, and we work to build generations that enjoy scientific excellence and high skills, and have every opportunity to obtain a high-quality education." The Crown Prince reiterated that Saudi Arabia is keen on protecting its distinct identities and sublime values. "We affirm that while we proceed on the paths of modernization and diversity, we are keen to protect our identity and values, which are an extension of the journey of our grandfathers and fathers, and are our insightful image in the entire world. Outlining the Kingdom's foreign policy, the Crown Prince said that Saudi Arabia is keen to cooperate with all active countries in the international community. "We are convinced that what protects humanity and preserves its civilizational values is the joint pursuit of a better future based on fruitful cooperation between countries and peoples, respecting the independence and values of countries, adopting the principle of good neighborliness, non-interference in their internal affairs, and avoiding resorting to force in resolving disputes. The Kingdom also seeks to enhance regional and international security and peace by making efforts to reach political solutions to crises in Yemen, Sudan, Libya and other countries as well as supporting solutions to international crises such as the Russian-Ukrainian crisis," he added. In his speech Shoura Council Speaker Al-Sheikh briefed on the major achievements made by the Council during its eighth session. He also highlighted the remarkable growth and progress Saudi Arabia is witnessing in all spheres of life.
