Saudi king, crown prince congratulate Pope Leo XIV on his election
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has congratulated Pope Leo XIV on Sunday on his election as the new leader of the Catholic church.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Leo XIV, was elected by the papal conclave on Thursday.
Pope Leo XIV will give his first Sunday blessing and address to a crowd in St Peter's Square in the Vatican today.
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Arab News
19 minutes ago
- Arab News
Missile exchanges may have ended — but questions remain
As befits 21st century diplomacy, US President Donald Trump announced a complete and total ceasefire between Iran and Israel on social media, congratulating 'everyone' for this, especially himself. After regrettable violations within the first few hours of the truce, which needlessly caused more loss of life, the deal to end this 12-day war seems to be holding. It is probably the first good news for the region in months, as both sworn enemies have given way to pressure exerted by Washington and are holding fire, at least for now. Until the ceasefire was agreed there was a danger the region might become embroiled in a long war of attrition. Now that the missile and drone exchanges have ended, one inevitable question is whether this costly affair could have been prevented — not just as a hypothetical exercise, but as a lesson in how to avoid another military confrontation between two of the most powerful militaries in the region. Could diplomacy have achieved the same, or even better, results, without inflicting death, destruction, and psychological scars on both combatants? The build-up to these 12 days of hostilities began more than a quarter of the century ago, and some might argue as far back as 1979 when the Iranian revolution rather artificially marked Israel, for its close relations with both the toppled shah and the US, as an enemy. History will look back at this deep enmity and might struggle to find objective reasons for it. Initially this hostility served the revolution as a tool for consolidating its hold on power at home and suppressing opposition. In turn, it also helped to propel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to power as Israel's defender against the Iranian threat, both conventional and potentially nuclear. Time will possibly reveal how close Iran was to assembling a nuclear bomb, and most analysts agree that the US decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal in 2018, during Trump's first term, removed the shackles from Iran's uranium enrichment program, bringing it closer to weapons grade. It is hardly believable that the Tehran regime should have invested such huge resources only for civilian use. It is also the case that in forming and leading the so-called axis of resistance, Iran, through its proxies in the region, posed a threat to stability sufficient to eventually merit a response. Ultimately, despite being a source of major disruption, even a lethal one in the case of Hamas, and to a lesser extent Hezbollah, it could not match Israel's military capabilities, especially when the latter was backed by the US and other allies. On this occasion, Netanyahu managed also to lure Trump to act against his instincts and use military force. 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Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Muslim World League condemns Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, West Bank
RIYADH: The Muslim World League on Saturday strongly condemned recent Israeli attacks on civilian shelters and ongoing violence against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The MWL has described the actions as part of a wider pattern of settler aggression carried out with impunity under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, the SPA added. The MWL's Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, who also chairs the Organization of Muslim Scholars, denounced in a statement issued by the MWL's General Secretariat what he called 'heinous crimes' committed against unarmed civilians, including recent attacks by settlers on the village of Kafr Malik, east of Ramallah. He added that the 'brutal assaults' were a 'blatant violation of all human values as well as international laws and norms.' He urged the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and take decisive action against what he described as the occupation government's ongoing disregard for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. Al-Issa also called for the immediate activation of international mechanisms to halt the violence and ensure accountability for those responsible for what he termed 'horrific massacres.' His comments came after Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday condemning the violence, denouncing 'the continued violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers, under the protection of the occupation forces, against Palestinian civilians, including the attacks in the village of Kafr Malik.'
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Saudi, Hungarian officials discuss parliamentary ties
RIYADH: A Shoura Council delegation from the Saudi-Hungarian Parliamentary Friendship Committee concluded their official visit to Hungary, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday. They met with the National Assembly speaker Laszlo Kover and members of the Hungarian counterpart committee to enhance parliamentary cooperation and strengthen ties between the two countries. During the visit, the delegation met Hungarian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Magyar Levente, Minister of State for Water and Irrigation Zsolt Nemeth, officials from the Hungarian Ministry of Energy, and Saudi-Hungarian Business Council Co-chair Peter Karpati. Hungarian officials stressed the importance of bilateral relations and appreciated the Kingdom's pioneering role. They also discussed ways to boost cooperation across various fields. The delegation included committee chairman Ibrahim Al-Qannas and members Zaher Al-Shehri, Salem Al-Jarbou, Aisha Arishi, Abdulaziz Al-Jaloud, Fares Al-Osaimi, and Hisham Al-Faris. Saudi Ambassador to Hungary Majed Al-Abdan also attended the meetings.
