Saudi Arabia’s stance toward the Palestinian cause has remained unchanged since 1935 London Conference, known as the Round Table Conference.

The Palestinian cause has always been the Saudi leadership’s concern and received attention throughout history.

Following are brief points showing the Kingdom’s steadfast stance toward the Palestinian cause throughout history.

In 1929, the late King Abdulaziz supported the Palestinian people against occupation despite the severe economic crisis Saudi Arabia was facing at that time.

The late King Abdulaziz sent an urgent donation of £500 to the Palestinian people. The donation was handed over to the Chairman of the Supreme Islamic Council in Palestine Muhammad Amin Al-Husseini, along with a message saying: “We were deeply saddened by the painful events.”

In 1937, when the project to divide Palestine was issued and was approved by the Peel Commission, formally known as the Palestine Royal Commission, the late King Abdulaziz told the British Minister Plenipotentiary in Jeddah: “There is no sincere Arab who will accept partition. If you are told that some individuals in an Arab country agree to partition, believe me the majority of the people in that country do not approve of this.”

In 1935, the late King Abdulaziz sent the Crown Prince to Palestine to see the condition of the Palestinian people following their uprisings. During the visit, the late King Saud (the Crown Prince at that time) said: “The sons of the Palestinian people are our sons and kinsfolk. We have a duty toward their cause which we will fulfill.”

In 1937, King Abdulaziz sent King Faisal (Minister of Foreign Affairs at that time) to Palestine to support the Palestinians. In Palestine, he said: “My father, King Abdulaziz, has sent me on this mission and I am happy for two reasons: First, I am happy to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque and pray in it, and second, I am happy to meet these revolutionaries to reassure them that their efforts will not be futile.”

In 1976, speaking to the press, the late King Khalid said: “As you know, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is working seriously and sincerely with all its potential to support the Arab-Islamic right in Palestine and liberate Al-Quds. In this regard, the Kingdom spares no efforts and will not. We in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are looking forward to supporting other Muslim countries, as the third holy mosque is a right of the Muslim Ummah. It should be liberated from the clutches of Zionism.”

In a speech before Haj delegations in 1984, the late King Fahd said: “The call of Al-Quds is still resounding in our ears. The enemy is still continuing its inhuman acts and tyranny, bloodletting, killing of the innocent and wreaking havoc.”

In 2006, the late King Abdullah said: “The region will not witness calm and stability unless the enemy recognizes legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, the return to their country and to establish their state on their usurped land. These rights are non-negotiable nor are they debatable.”

In 2018 in the 29th Arab Summit, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman said: “I would like to announce naming the summit as ‘Al-Quds Summit’ so that all far and near should know that Palestine and its people are in the hearts and minds of the Arabs and Muslims.”

In 2014 during the inauguration of foreign ministers’ conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries in Jeddah, the late Prince Saud Al-Faisal, minister of foreign affairs, said: “The Kingdom considers the Palestinian cause as its first cause. The OIC represents the Ummah, their conscience, speaks on their behalf and expresses their will and determination. The Executive Committee is holding its second meeting in a month to discuss how to repulse the flagrant Israeli aggression against our kinsfolk in the Gaza Strip. This brutal aggression is going on day and night by air, land and sea and for a whole month now to massacre the Palestinians. It is targeting civilians, especially women and children, who are more than half the victims.”

In 2018, Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir reaffirmed: “The Kingdom’s stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is steadfast. The solution to this conflict is based on the international references and the Arab peace initiative. It culminates with the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Following are brief points showing the Kingdom’s constant stance toward the Palestinian cause throughout history.

The Kingdom’s steadfast stance toward the Palestinian cause throughout history:

In 1943, the Kingdom established its consulate general in Jerusalem, Palestine, so as to facilitate communication with the Palestinian people and provide support for their just cause.

In 1945, the late King Abdulaziz sent a letter to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt explaining the Palestinian cause. This letter contributed to changing the stance of the Roosevelt Administration, leading to his pledge not to recognize the state of Israel. This letter is considered to be among the strongest letters in the history of defending the Palestinians’ rights.

In June 1967, the popular donation campaign in the Kingdom managed to collect over SR16 million at that time.

In December 1968, two religious edicts were issued by the Kingdom’s Grand Mufti at that time Sheikh Muhammad Bin Ibrahim and after him by the late Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Baz. The two edicts made it permissible to pay Zakat to the Popular Committees for Assisting the Palestinian People.

In 1969, the Chairman of the Popular Committee for Supporting the Palestinian People, Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz, in his status at that time as Chairman of the Popular Committee, issued an open letter calling on Saudis to donate 1 percent of their salaries for the care of the families of the Palestinian martyrs. The call received an overwhelming response from government employees.

In 1969, the Kingdom’s efforts led to convening a meeting for Arab and Muslim countries in Rabat, Morocco. It was agreed to establish the Organization of the Islamic Conference (the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at present). It has as its members 57 Arab and Islamic countries. The principles for defending the Muslims’ honor and dignity, represented by Jerusalem (Al-Quds) and the Dome of the Rock were presented. This was an attempt to find a common ground among all the Muslims.

The Popular Committee for Supporting the Palestinians in Riyadh under the chairmanship of Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz, in his status at that time as Chairman of the Popular Committee, set up an “honor register” through which individuals, businessmen and companies gave their commitment to provide regular monthly or annual donations to the account of the Popular Committee. The objective was to increase the revenues and donations to the popular committee.

The Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) gave a 10 percent donation commitment.

In 1982 following the Israeli invasion of South Lebanon, the popular donation campaigns managed to collect over SR108 million.

In 1988, Prince Salman, in his status as Chairman of the Popular Committee for Assisting the Palestinian People, issued a second appeal calling for donations to support the brave Palestinian uprising (Intifada) and increasing the revenues of the committee in general. The total proceeds from the donations exceeded SR160 million.

In 1988, Prince Salman, in his capacity at that time as Chairman of the Popular Committee for Assisting the Palestinian People, stressed that the Kingdom has never ever taken a stance supporting the Palestinian cause in order to be thanked and valued for these steps that are based on principles.

The Palestinian cause is not merely an international issue, but a basic and central cause for the Kingdom.

In 1989, when he was the Emir of Riyadh region, King Salman opened the Palestinian Embassy building in Riyadh and raised the Palestinian.

In 1997, the late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat decorated King Salman with the “Al-Quds Star Medal” in appreciation for his extraordinary personal efforts to support the Palestinian people.

During the inauguration of the OIC Foreign Ministers Conference in 2014, the late Prince Saud Al-Faisal, minister of foreign affairs announced the allocation of SR300 million, as directed by the late King Abdullah to provide medical help to the Palestinians.

During the 28th Arab Summit at the Dead Sea in 2017, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman stressed that we should not be too preoccupied with our regional events to be distracted from reaffirming to the world the centrality of the Palestinian cause for the Ummah.

In 2017, following President Donald Trump’s decision on the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Kingdom expressed deep regret and stressed that it had warned earlier about the “serious” consequences of such an unjustified and irresponsible step.

In 2018, the Saudi royal court issued a statement saying: “The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hopes that the US Administration would reconsider this measure and align itself with the international will in enabling the Palestinian people regain their legitimate rights.

“The Kingdom reaffirms the importance of finding a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause in line with the related UN resolutions and the Arab initiative so that the Palestinian people are able to get their legitimate rights to establish security and stability in the region.” — SG