RIYADH: The Cabinet voiced its congratulations Monday to King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, over the successful operation he recently underwent in New York, and prayed to Allah for his speedy recovery. Ministers also congratulated Prince Mit'eb Bin Abdullah on his appointment as Minster of State, Cabinet Member and Commander of the National Guard. Chairing the weekly meeting, Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, reassured the nation of the King's good health and thanked Allah for the successful operation. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency following the meeting, Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said the Cabinet reviewed reports on international developments and situation in the Arab World. Ministers also praised security authorities for foiling acts planned by terrorist leaders abroad, and “frustrating their attempts to recruit in the Kingdom and disseminate their destructive ideologies by exploiting the Haj and Umrah,” Khoja said. Last week the Kingdom announced the arrest of 149 Al-Qaeda suspects and the foiling of several terror attacks inside the Kingdom and abroad. The minister said that, with Nov. 29 marking the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the Kingdom reiterated its steadfast and historic stands in support of the Palestinian cause which go back to the foundation of the Kingdom by the late King Abdul Aziz. The minister said that the Cabinet described the Palestinian issue as having “always been at the top of the Kingdom's priorities”, as manifested by the Arab Peace Initiative first proposed by Kind Abdullah calling for the Palestinian people to “regain their legitimate rights and resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict”. Khoja said Cabinet also expressed its gratitude to government and private bodies for the success of this year's Haj pilgrimage and their laudable efforts at serving the Guests of Allah.
