King Fahd pleads with US, Russia for Middle East peace progress

On August 12 Saudi Arabia's King Fahd called on the co-sponsors of the Middle East peace process, the United States and Russia, to put pressure on Israel.

King Fahd renewed his call to make Israel "honor its commitments to the Palestinian Authority" of Yasser Arafat, said higher education Minister Khaled al Ankari, quoted by the official Saudi press agency.

King Fahd blamed Israel for the "escalation [of tensions] in the region," Ankari added.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s policies have angered Saudi Arabia, prompting the kingdom to announce a boycott of the next Middle East and North Africa economic summit, due to be held in Qatar.