In a statement issued after the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Crown Prince Sultan, the Kingdom expressed its deep concern over the worsening situation in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of continuing Israeli atrocities against Palestinian civilians.
“The international community must take a decisive stand on what is currently happening in Palestine and adopt effective steps to protect the Palestinian people from Israeli state terrorism,” the Saudi Press Agency reported, quoting the Cabinet statement.
The Cabinet expressed the hope that the visit of the Quartet’s Middle East envoy Tony Blair would play a positive role toward ending the Israeli blockade on Gaza and reviving the peace process.
The Cabinet reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for every effort aimed at boosting the Middle East peace process and achieving peace and stability in the region and the rest of the world.
Referring to the Lebanese situation, the Cabinet hoped that the Lebanese factions would be able to overcome their differences in order to protect their country’s supreme interests. It also urged them to hold serious negotiations in the light of the Arab League initiative.
The Cabinet meeting took a number of other important decisions. It authorized the interior minister to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart on signing an extradition treaty. It also authorized the General Authority of Civil Aviation to sign an agreement with Ghana for increasing cooperation in air transport.
The Cabinet approved a number of measures for the safe disposal of medical waste. It instructed the Health Ministry to set out a program for developing human resources in environmental health and the management of dangerous medical waste, making use of the expertise in national research centers.
The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Protection has been urged to supervise the companies that work in the environmental sector, especially those that tackle dangerous medical waste, to make sure they follow relevant regulations.
The meeting called for conducting a feasibility study on setting up a joint stock company for the treatment of dangerous waste.
It also proposed the merger of existing companies in the field with the new firm that can accept foreign funds.
The meeting agreed not to collect fines owed by a dead person from his heirs if the fine was to be paid to a person or an individual institution. But this law will not apply to fines related to administrative contracts, the Saudi Press Agency said.
The Cabinet appointed Saud ibn Mohammed Al-Mufleh, Shariah consultant at the Court of Grievances, Abdul Aziz ibn Ibrahim Al-Hadlak, assistant deputy minister for social development, and Abdul Aziz ibn Nasser Al-Misaad, director of administrative and financial affairs at the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
