RIYADH: The Saudi Cabinet has condemned a move by Israel to approve new settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The announcement last week of 2,500 new housing units in the West Bank marked one of the largest such construction drives in years, and came just days after US President Donald Trump was sworn into office.
The Cabinet, chaired by King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace on Monday, said such measures are aimed to “Judaize” large parts of the West Bank, including Al-Quds, which contradicts basic principles of peace and the mandate of the international community.
Israel’s move also violates human rights and hampers efforts for restoring peace and stability in the region, the Cabinet said.
Safe zones in Syria
The Cabinet also lent support to the proposal of US President Donald Trump to create safe zones in strife-torn Syria.
Trump on Sunday spoke by telephone with King Salman, for the first time since the new president assumed office.
“King Salman informed the Cabinet of his support for the establishment of safe zones proposed by the US president and Trump’s support to the Saudi Vision 2030,” a Saudi Press Agency (SPA) report said on Monday.
Police raids
The Cabinet also appreciated the achievements made by the security forces in the fight against terrorism, especially the results of investigations following raids on two hideouts in Jeddah.
Riyadh condemns Israeli settlements
Riyadh condemns Israeli settlements
Saudi-Yemen program provides $81.2m to operate more than 70 power plants
- Grant will improve reliability of electrical power to critical facilities, including hospitals, medical centers, roads, schools, airports and ports
- Move follows last week’s announcement by the SDRPY of a larger aid package totaling $506 million to support Yemen
LONDON: A tripartite agreement was signed on Wednesday between the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen, the oil company Petromasila, and Yemen’s Ministry of Energy and Electricity to supply petroleum derivatives for the country’s power plants.
SDRPY is supporting the Yemeni government with an $81.2 million grant to purchase 339 million liters of diesel and mazut from Petromasila to operate more than 70 power plants across various Yemeni governorates.
The grant follows last week’s announcement by the SDRPY of a $506 million aid package to support Yemen’s education, health, government and infrastructure sectors.
The SDRPY highlighted that the grant will improve the reliability of electrical power to critical facilities, including hospitals, medical centers, roads, schools, airports and ports. Additionally, the funding will stimulate the Yemeni economy and support the Central Bank of Yemen by easing the pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
It reduces the Ministry of Finance’s fuel-related financial burden and supports the Ministry of Electricity and Energy in improving the efficiency of power plants in Yemen, the SDRPY said.
In 2018, the SDRPY provided $180 million, in addition to $422 million in 2021 and another $200 million in 2022, as grants to Yemen to purchase oil derivatives and operate vital sectors of the country.
