Saudi Arabia rejects Obama’s call for step-by-step peace with Israel

September 29th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan has reportedly swapped two Al-Qaeda members with Saudi Arabia in exchange for five of its citizens who were detained in Riyadh over drug-trafficking charges. According to a private television channel, two sons of top Al-Qaeda leader Al-Alawi, who purportedly plotted a suicide attack on a Saudi Minister, were exchanged in return for five Pakistanis.

September 16th, 2009 RAWALPINDI - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sadiq-ul-Farooq has said Saudi Arabia would not interfere in Pakistan's internal issues. Referring to recent reports regarding Riyadh assuring former President General Pervez Musharraf that he would not be tried under the Article Six of the Constitution, Farooq said Saudi Arabia respects Pakistan's constitution and its laws, thus it would not interfere in such issues.

September 10th, 2009 RIYADH - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Nawaz Sharif arrived here with his family to perform Umra. A private TV channel, while quoting sources, said that Sharif's visit is not political.

September 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif is likely to visit Saudi Arabia next week to meet King Shah Abdullah, sources said. According to sources, Sharif is likely to reach Riyadh on September 11 to hold talks with King Abdullah and Saudi Intelligence chief Shahzada Muqran.

September 2nd, 2009 AHORE - Expressing concern over the political brickbatting between the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over the trial of former President General Pervez Musharraf, Saudi Arabia has asked the Pakistani leadership to abide by the agreement on Musharraf's immunity from prosecution, and stop the infighting, saying it could further deteriorate the country's situation. Sources privy to the Saudi Royal family said Saudi King, Abdullah, told Interior Advisor Rehman Malik, that Musharraf's trial and altercations between the PPP and the PML-N could further affect Pakistan's political stability.

September 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who recently visited Saudi Arabia, has categorically denied meeting former President Pervez Musharraf. There were reports that Musharraf was in Saudi Arabia and Malik had met him there.

August 21st, 2009 RIYADH - Israel has said that it is aware about Saudi Arabia's plans to build nuclear power plants. The Saudi newspaper Al-Watan quoted the country's Minister of Water and Electricity, Abdullah al-Hosain, as saying the kingdom was working on plans for its first nuclear power plant.

July 31st, 2009 Saudi rebuffs US on improving ties with IsraelWASHINGTON — Saudi Arabia on Friday bluntly rejected U.S. appeals for improved relations with Israel as a way to help restart Middle East peace talks, saying the Jewish state is not interested in a deal.

July 15th, 2009 JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office has criticized the Human Rights Watch (HRW) for sending a fundraising delegation to Saudi Arabia, and likened the situation to a women's rights group asking the Taliban for donations. "A human rights organization raising money in Saudi Arabia is like a women's rights group asking the Taliban for a donation.

July 5th, 2009 LAHORE - Former Pakistan president General Pervez Musharraf has reportedly contacted the concerned authorities in the Saudi Arabia regarding the release of a Pakistani family, which has been detained there on charges of drug trafficking. According to sources, the Saudi authorities told Musharraf that justice would be done to the family and a substantial step in this regard would be taken within the next 48 hours.

July 4th, 2009 LAHORE - A travel agency scam has stranded as many as 800 Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia after their travel agents refunded their tickets in Pakistan. The Daily Times quoted one pilgrim, as saying that his visa for staying in Saudi Arabia would expire in a couple of days.

July 1st, 2009 ASTANA - Israel Wednesday utilised the platform of a global faith conference to reach out to the Arab world to bring about lasting peace in the Middle East. "I call on his excellency, the king of Saudi Arabia, to meet wherever you wish, in Jerusalam, in Riyadh, in this beautiful country of Kazakhstan; we will be able to realise your vision (of peace in the Middle East)," Israeli President Shimon Peres said.

June 4th, 2009 JERUSALEM - Israel said Thursday that it shared US President Barack Obama's hope for peace with the Arab and Muslim world. In an official statement reacting to the landmark speech to the Muslim world Obama made Thursday, the Israeli government expressed its hope "that the important speech of President Obama in Cairo will indeed lead to a new era of reconciliation between Arab and Muslim world".

April 27th, 2009 LONDON - A British air stewardess was sacked for refusing to fly to Saudi Arabia after she was ordered to wear a traditional Islamic robe and walk behind male colleagues. Lisa Ashton, who worked for BMI, was told that she was expected to wear in public in Saudi Arabia the abaya, a long black robe that leaves only the face uncovered.

April 20th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan President General (r) Pervez Musharraf has said that the United States should not attach any preconditions to its anti-terror aid to Pakistan. The Daily Times quoted Musharraf, as saying that the armed forces and the Pakistan Government should jointly devise a strategy to fight terrorists in the country.