Qatari Cabinet reiterates condemnation of Houthi group's targeting of Mecca

Doha, September 23 (KUNA) -- The Qatari Cabinet reaffirmed today, Wednesday, the State of Qatar’s condemnation and strongest denunciation of the Houthi group’s drone attack targeting Mecca. The Qatar News Agency reported that this statement was made during the Council’s regular meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The Cabinet reiterated its strongest condemnation of the Houthi group’s drone attack on Mecca, emphasizing that any attempt to violate the sanctity of Mecca, the Holy Kaaba, the Qibla of Muslims, and the purest place on Earth constitutes an aggressive and despicable act, a blatant provocation of the feelings of more than one billion Muslims worldwide, and a gross violation of all religious, moral, and humanitarian red lines.

The Council also strongly condemned the Houthi group’s drone attack on Taif Governorate, its ballistic missile strike on Riyadh, the capital of the sister Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and its attempts to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in the cities of Bish, Taif, Firasan, and Yanbu.

The Cabinet reaffirmed Qatar’s full solidarity with the sister Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its steadfast support for the Kingdom in all legitimate measures it takes to safeguard its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and Islamic holy sites. It stressed that the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an integral part of Qatar’s security and of the collective security framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

The Council also praised the speech delivered by His Highness the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, at the opening session of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, held yesterday at the Organization’s headquarters in New York. The speech contained important messages reflecting Qatar’s foundational principles and constants at both the domestic and international levels, as well as its firm commitment to wisdom, resilience, steadfastness, and the defense of its land, dignity, and sovereignty. It highlighted Qatar’s choice to combine stability with flexibility, always prioritizing the interests of the nation, its people, and residents on its soil, guided by the approach instilled by its leaders.

The Council commended the Amir’s speech for reiterating Qatar’s firm positions on various regional and international issues, its continued active and positive role, and its sustained efforts to defend the rights of peoples, promote dialogue and peaceful means to resolve disputes and settle crises, and confront major and serious challenges threatening regional security and global peace.

The Council also appreciated the Amir’s renewed call for the establishment of a regional collective security system that respects the sovereignty, integrity, and territorial unity of states, encourages the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and prohibits interference in the internal affairs of countries.

Following this, the Cabinet reviewed items on its agenda, approving a draft law to issue the Unified System (Law) for International Land Transport among GCC member states and referring it to the Shura Council. (End) S.S.S / T.M.A