Saudi Gazette report

NEOM — The Saudi Council of Ministers called on the international community, especially the permanent members of the Security Council, to take immediate measures to compel the Israeli occupation authorities to stop their crimes against the Palestinian people and their occupied land. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman chaired the Cabinet session in NEOM on Tuesday.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of State, Cabinet Member for the Shoura Council Affairs and Acting Minister of Media Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Saeed said that the Cabinet strongly condemned the statements made by the prime minister of the Israeli occupation government regarding the so-called "Greater Israel Vision" and its complete rejection of the settlement and expansionist ideas and projects of the occupation authorities.

It affirmed the historical and legal right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent, sovereign state on their land, based on relevant international laws. The Council strongly denounced the Israeli occupation authorities’ approval of the construction of settlements around the occupied city of Jerusalem.

The Cabinet affirmed Saudi Arabia's support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through peaceful means and achieving peace between the two countries. In this context, it welcomed the two summits held by US President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as with leaders of European countries.

At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the contents of his phone calls with President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of South Korea Lee Jae-myung, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as well as the contents of the message he received from Dr. Julius Maada Bio, president of Sierra Leone.

On the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, which falls on Tuesday, the Cabinet expressed its pride over Saudi Arabia's great journey in this field, from its founding to the present day, supporting humanity and its development based on firm principles derived from the true Islamic religion and noble values. This has consolidated its position among the world's largest donor countries.

On the occasion of the beginning of the new academic year, the Cabinet reviewed the achievements made in the education sector, including curriculum development, raising the professional level of teachers, integrating artificial intelligence, expanding technical training, identifying and supporting talent, and providing educational environments that stimulate creativity and innovation. The Cabinet wished success to male and female students at all levels of education.

The Cabinet approved the Handicrafts Law. It authorized Minister of Sports or his representative to negotiate with the Spanish side regarding a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Saudi Ministry of Sports and the Spanish Supreme Sports Council for cooperation in the field of sports, and to sign it. The Council authorized Minister of Foreign Affairs or his representative to negotiate with the General Secretariat of the Middle East Green Initiative regarding a draft headquarters agreement between the Saudi government and the General Secretariat of the Middle East Green Initiative, and to sign it.

The Cabinet authorized Minister of Health or his representative to negotiate with the Syrian side regarding a draft MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Health and the Syrian Ministry of Health for cooperation in the health sector, and to sign it. It approved a MoU between the Saudi Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority and the Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Azerbaijan regarding the development of the small and medium enterprises sector and entrepreneurship.

The Cabinet authorized Minister of Finance or his representative to sign a draft agreement between the Saudi government and the Kyrgyz government on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters. It approved an agreement between the Saudi government and the US government on mutual assistance between the customs administrations of the two countries, and another agreement between the Saudi government and the government of Grenada in the field of air transport services.

The Council authorized Minister of Tourism or his representative to negotiate with the Qatari side regarding the draft MoU for cooperation in the field of tourism promotion and marketing between the Saudi Tourism Authority and Qatar Tourism, and to sign it. It approved a memorandum of cooperation between the Saudi National Center for Archives and Records and the National Archives at the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Media, and the Arts in the Maldives in the field of documents and archiving.

The Cabinet authorized Minister of Human Resources and Social Development to negotiate with the American side regarding the draft MoU between the Saudi Institute of Public Administration and the Center for Executive Education at the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States of America, in the field of training and administrative development, and to sign it.