Aziz visited a number of countries including the Kingdom of Morocco; the Kingdom of Spain; the French Republic; the Republic of Poland, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He also paid official visits from 17th Shawal 1428 AH to 1st thu al-qedah 1428 AH to the United Kingdom; the Republic of Italy; the Federal Republic of Germany; the Republic of Turkey and the Arab Republic of Egypt in response to invitations received from the leaders of these countries. The economic and development cooperation issues were the main discussion points in his visits which opened up new opportunities of cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and these countries. Also, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz discussed with the leaders and heads of countries who have visited Saudi Arabia, issues and problems at regional and international levels. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has distinct attitudes toward the noble Arab and Islamic issues, foremost among them the Palestinian cause. He continued the stance of his father - the King Abdul Aziz in supporting the cause politically, financially and morally with constant pursuits to achieve the aspirations of the Palestinian people to return to their land and establish an independent state on their national territory and adopt the Al-Quds (Jerusalem) issue and uphold it with all means. In this context, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz when he was the country's Crown Prince had presented a vision for comprehensive settlement of the Palestinians' just cause of eight principles known as the "Draft of Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz" submitted to the Arab summit in Beirut in 2002. The draft was accepted at Arab and international levels and then adopted by 2002 summit and in all subsequent summits held in Riyadh and became an Arab Peace Initiative. The King also suggested at the Arab conference held in Cairo in October 2000 to establish a Fund under the name of Al-Quds Intifada with a capital of $200 million allocated for the maintenance of the families of Palestinian martyrs who were killed in the uprising in addition to establishment of another Fund under the name of Alaqsa Fund with $800 million to finance projects to preserve the Arab and Islamic identity of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and prevent its obliteration. The Kingdom has contributed a quarter of the amount allocated to these two funds. In July 2006, the King directed allocation of a grant of $250 million to the Palestinian people to be the nucleus of an international Arab Fund to rebuild Palestine. With the emergence of a disagreement between the Palestinians factions, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz took a quick decision and had invited the leaders of the Palestinian People to hold a meeting in the vicinity of the Holy Mosque in Makkah to discuss their discord without interference to reach urgent solutions to what had been happening in the Palestinian arena. Palestinian leaders had responded to this invitation as President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Khalid Meshal, the chairman of the Political Bureau of Hamas, and Ismail Haniya had held meetings in Makkah with the presence of a number of officials in Fatah and Hamas. These extensive meetings had been crowned with success with the endorsement of the Makkah Agreement, which was announced in the presence of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at Assafa palace in the month of Muharram 1428 AH. --MORE
