King Salman bin Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia was committed to defending Arab and Islamic causes in international forums, foremost among them the kingdom’s longstanding goal of securing Palestinians’ legitimate rights and an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
He spoke while opening the fourth year of the Shura Council’s sixth session in Riyadh.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques said: “The Israeli occupation forces’ recent escalation and irresponsible actions—killing children, women and innocent unarmed civilians, storming the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque, violating its sanctity and attacking worshippers—constitute a major crime that must be stopped.”
King Salman also called for an end to Israeli settlement construction and the removal of existing settlements. He said the international community must fulfill its responsibilities and take the necessary measures to protect Palestinians from aggressive Israeli practices that provoke Arabs and Muslims everywhere.