RIYADH — The Saudi Council of Ministers on Tuesday called upon the international community to hold the occupying Israeli authorities accountable for the grave violations being committed against innocent civilians and Islamic holy sites in Palestine. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chaired the Cabinet session in Riyadh. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary emphasized the Cabinet's strong condemnation of the ongoing Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The Cabinet unequivocally rejected and condemned any attempt at altering Jerusalem's historical and legal status. The Council reiterated support for the Palestinian people while drawing attention to the statement of the extraordinary meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council that emphasized the need for a successful ceasefire in Gaza, in addition to respecting Syria's sovereignty and independence, and rejecting foreign interference in this country's internal affairs. At the outset of the session, the Cabinet was briefed on recent talks that the Kingdom held with friendly nations, including the message received by King Salman from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Cabinet discussed regional and international developments, and emphasized the Kingdom's continuous efforts to foster cooperation through bilateral relations and its membership in multilateral organizations and groups, and all its endeavors aimed to address global challenges, promote security, and advance prosperity in the region and beyond. Al-Dossary said the Cabinet stressed that the newly announced economic assistance to Yemen reflects the Kingdom's commitment to stability in Yemen, and helping the Yemeni people progress. This support aimed to strengthen Yemen's economic, financial, and monetary foundations, build the capacity of government institutions, and empower the private sector to drive sustainable growth and create job opportunities. On the domestic front, the Cabinet reviewed the performance indicators of the Kingdom's several key economic sectors and commended the significant growth of the non-profit sector, which plays a crucial role in supporting healthcare, education, research, and other vital areas, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals. The Cabinet approved the organizational arrangements of the Taif Development Authority. It has also formed a permanent committee titled National Committee for Government Correspondence, headed by the Digital Government Authority, with a number of government agencies as its members. The Council approved a number of procedures regarding granting the Diriyah Gate Development Authority the jurisdiction to deal with municipal violations - related to its statutory powers - within the development scope of the Diriyah Gate project, and imposing the penalties stipulated in the Penalties Regulations for Municipal Violations. The Cabinet approved a draft joint declaration of intent between the Saudi Ministry of Energy and Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Federal Foreign Office regarding the allocation of a topic concerning the climate in the framework of the Saudi-German Dialogue, and authorizing the minister of energy or his deputy to discuss and sign the declaration with the German side. It endorsed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of civil defense and civil protection between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Mauritania, and a general agreement for cooperation between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Honduras. The Council approved a MoU for cooperation in the field of environmental protection, rehabilitation and preservation between the Saudi and Kuwait governments. The Cabinet approved a MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Romania for cooperation in the agricultural field. It authorized the minister of investment or his deputy to discuss and sign a draft MoU for encouraging direct investment with Honduras. The Cabinet approved a MoU between the Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade and the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand for the development of trade between the two countries, and an agreement between the Saudi and Congo governments in the field of air transport services. It approved a MoU for cooperation in the field of intellectual property between the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and the Qatari Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and a cooperation agreement between the Saudi Presidency of State Security and Kosovo's Intelligence Agency to combat terrorism and financing it.
