Shortly after Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita addressed diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Riyadh responded to Morocco's critics through its Foreign Minister. In the Tunisian capital, where he participated, Friday, to an Arab League meeting, the Saudi Foreign Minister decided to comment on the critics expressed by his Moroccan counterpart, Thursday. Speaking during this meeting, Ibrahim al-Assaf reiterated his country's commitment to defend the of Palestinians' right to live in an «independent state, with East Jerusalem as its capital», recalling the resolutions adopted during the last Arab Summit, held in April 2018 in Dhahran (Saudi Arabia). The Saudi Minister, however, avoided mentioning the question of the Hashemite's custodianship over Christian and Muslim holy sites in Al Quds. A status that is eyed by Riyadh's ruling family, with the blessing of the Trump administration and Israel. Visiting Morocco, earlier this week, King Abdullah II of Jordan received the support of King Mohammed VI on this issue. Indeed, the Moroccan sovereign emphasized the importance of the Hashemite custodianship over holy sites in Al Quds and the role it plays in protecting Al Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock (Kobbat Assakhra) and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher since 1946. When al-Assaf addresses «coordination with Arab sister states» During a press briefing, held Thursday March 28th, Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita noted that «coordination should be maintained in both directions. It must not be à la carte, it must cover all the important issues in the Middle East and North Africa, like the Libyan crisis», referring to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. On Friday, al-Assaf said that his country has «balanced relations and ties with the international scene» and is determined to «coordinate positions with sister Arab states to positively influence the causes of the Arab world in the international scene and unify Arab countries' visions and positions with regard to problems and developments affecting their interests», reports the Saudi official news agency. The Minister did not forget to respond to Nasser Bourita's statement on the Libyian crisis. Al Assaf said that the «Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports the legitimate institutions, in Libya, and calls for adherence to the Skhirat Agreement, which represents a road map for political solution, there». For the record, King Salman received Marshal Haftar Wednesday in Riyadh. The latter is a Libyan Military Commander, who wants to be in power in the North African country.
