Saudi Arabia strongly condemns Israel’s decision to allow re-settlement in northern West Bank

Suspected Israeli settlers vandalized residents’ properties overnight in the West Bank village of Burqa, near Ramallah, Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (AP)
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Updated 23 March 2023
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Saudi Arabia strongly condemns Israel’s decision to allow re-settlement in northern West Bank

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday strongly condemned a decision taken by the occupying Israeli authorities to allow re-settlement in the areas of the northern West Bank in Palestine.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s strong condemnation of this decision, which is a flagrant violation of all international laws, contributes to undermining regional and international peace efforts, obstructs political solutions based on the Arab Peace Initiative, and guarantees the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,” it said in a statement.

The settler movement scored a victory Tuesday in the Israeli parliament, which rolled back law banning Israelis from an area in the northern West Bank from which Jewish residents were evacuated in 2005.

UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said he does “remain deeply troubled by continued Israeli settlement expansion,” including the recent authorization of nine settlements in the occupied West Bank and the construction of thousands of new housing units in existing settlements.

The UN considers such settlement activity illegal under international law.

(With AFP)


Saudi Arabia celebrates Flag Day with displays, special events

Updated 11 March 2026
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Saudi Arabia celebrates Flag Day with displays, special events

  • Nation goes green in show of unity, belonging
  • Current design of the flag, which represents unity and sovereignty, was adopted in 1937

RIYADH: A new art exhibition has opened at King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh, as the country celebrates Flag Day, which fell on Wednesday.

The event, titled “In Love with Green,” is being held in collaboration with the Saudi Art Association and features 20 fine art paintings inspired by the Saudi flag, as well as other cultural and contemporary images and landmarks.

The current design of the flag, which represents unity and sovereignty, was adopted in 1937. It features the Shahada and a sword symbolizing justice and safety, representing the unification of the Kingdom during the reign of King Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The exhibition, at the library’s services branch and reading halls on Khurais Road, was opened by the library’s Director General Bandar Al-Mubarak and the association’s board chair Hanaa Al-Shibly.

Visitors can attend from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Elsewhere in the country, public spaces and buildings have become a sea of green for Flag Day.

In Al-Baha, government buildings, squares and main roads were decorated with green lighting and national flags were hoisted in public squares.

It was a similar picture in Makkah, where people celebrated the annual show of pride and belonging against a green backdrop.

In Tabuk, authorities installed more than 7,000 flags along roads, squares and bridges, while the region’s landmarks and tunnels were illuminated with green and white lights.

More than 10,000 Saudi flags were also hoisted in Jazan, where Souk Al-Awalin in Jazan City is set to host a range of events and performances to mark the special occasion.