King Salman welcomes pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia for Hajj

King Salman on Tuesday welcomed pilgrims who have started arriving in the Kingdom from around the world to perform Hajj rituals. (SPA)

• The Saudi ruler directed public and private sectors serving the pilgrims to “exert all efforts” to help the arrivals in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah
• He also directed authorities to redouble their endeavors and upgrade services to provide the best facilities for pilgrims

JEDDAH: King Salman on Tuesday welcomed pilgrims who have started arriving in the Kingdom from around the world to perform Hajj rituals.
The Saudi ruler directed public and private sectors serving the pilgrims to “exert all efforts” to help the arrivals in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, and the holy sites.
He also directed authorities to redouble their endeavors and upgrade services to provide the best facilities for pilgrims to perform Hajj rituals safely and in tranquility.
Chaired by King Salman at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, the Saudi Cabinet reviewed reports on developments in the region and the world, including the establishment of a coordination council between the Kingdom and Kuwait, reaffirming close ties between the two countries.
The Cabinet welcomed a statement by the Group of Twenty finance ministers and central bank governors (G20) after their meeting in Buenos Aires on July 21-22, highlighting the importance of G20 efforts in supporting balanced, strong and comprehensive growth and the implementation of structural reforms to enhance the global economy.
The Cabinet expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation for efforts by the UN and its agencies to help children avoid the destruction of war, and reiterated the Kingdom’s support for measures to maintain their safety and reduce the loss of civilian lives.
The Kingdom has called on the UN Security Council to condemn the Houthi militias’ recruitment of children as well as using them as human shields — a blatant disregard for international laws and humanitarian norms.
The Cabinet renewed the Kingdom’s rejection and condemnation of the Israeli Knesset’s adoption of the “Jewish nation-state” law, saying the decision contravened international law and the principles of human rights.
The law would hinder international efforts at finding a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Cabinet warned.
It called on the international community to reject the law and “all other Israeli attempts to perpetuate racial discrimination against the Palestinian people aimed at obliterating their national identity and undermining their legitimate rights.”