The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz chaired the Cabinet session at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah today. At the outset, the Cabinet discussed the latest regional and international developments, reiterating the Kingdom’s commitment to stemming the bloodshed in Arab countries and maintaining regional security and stability. The Cabinet condemned Israel’s attacks on the palaces of the Umayyad Caliph, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the excavations conducted in Jerusalem, calling upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to stop the destruction of Islamic landmarks.

The Cabinet then discussed the economic and cultural events that took place inside and outside the Kingdom last week. It praised the Prince Sultan’s Competition for the Memorization of the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s Sunnah for South Eastern and Central Asian Nations, which was held last week in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Cabinet welcomed the order of King Abdullah to link the networks of the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) in Ras Al-Zour with Dammam through Jubail Industrial City. It also expressed appreciation for the King’s support for youth and sporting events, hailing the establishment of a new sports city in Jeddah and the expansion of the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium.

Noting the beginning of the summer holiday season, and the accompanying festivals organized by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) throughout the country, the Cabinet urged the SCTA and other public and private organizations to exert their utmost efforts to accommodate tourist sites and services, thus encouraging domestic tourism.

Addressing its agenda items, the Cabinet approved the administrative reorganization of the Ministry of Social Affairs; approved the reactivation and reorganization of the National Center for Social Studies and Research at the Ministry of Social Affairs; approved a general cooperation agreement with Eritrea; approved the reformation of the Committee for the Settlement of Disputes and Insurance’s Disputes; approved the establishment of a Saudi shareholding company under the name of “Saudi Einaya Cooperative Insurance Company”; and approved the organization of the Saudi Association for Quality.