Paris attacks condemned by Gulf states

Saudi Arabia’s highest religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars, says the attacks are contrary to Islamic valuesAgenciesRiyadhGulf Arab states yesterday condemned the gun and bomb attacks in Paris that killed at least 128 people and injured 180. “I wanted to express our condolences to the government and people of France for the heinous terrorist attacks that took place yesterday, which are in violation and contravention of all ethics, morals and religions,” Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said. The Islamic State group claimed Friday night’s attacks in an online statement yesterday. The Saudi foreign minister made his remarks in Vienna where he is attending international talks aimed at finding a solution to end the four-year war in Syria, where IS holds swathes of territory. Saudi Arabia’s highest religious body said the attacks were contrary to Islamic values. “Terrorists are not sanctioned by Islam and these acts are contrary to values of mercy it brought to the world,” the Council of Senior Scholars said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. The Qatari foreign ministry condemned the “armed attacks and bombings” in a statement cited by official agency QNA, saying they “contradict all moral and humanitarian principles and values”. The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, also condemned the attacks as “heinous crimes” and said the UAE would “spare no effort... to fight terrorism in all its forms”, state news agency Wam reported.  There were also condemnations from Bahrain and Kuwait, and from Abdellatif Zayani, head of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC). The head of Sunni Islam’s leading seat of learning, Cairo’s Al Azhar, urged global unity against extremism. “We denounce this hateful incident,” Ahmed al-Tayyeb told a conference in comments broadcast by Egyptian state television. “The time has come for the world to unite to confront this monster.” “Such acts are contrary to all religious, humanitarian and civilised principles,” Tayyeb said at the opening of the conference in the southern city of Luxor focused on combating “extremist thought”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country stood side by side with France, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he was shocked and angered. Marches in solidarity with France were taking place in Tel Aviv and Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. “Israel will be on France’s side in the fight against terrorism,” Netanyahu said in a statement late Friday. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said the country would stand with France “in your uncompromising struggle against terrorism”. Abbas said: “Our people are deeply shocked and angered, but mostly saddened by these events aimed at hitting civil life in the wonderful city of Paris.” Bassem Naim, head of the Hamas Council of International Relations, said the group condemned “the acts of aggression and barbarity”, while Islamic Jihad called it a crime “against innocent people”. Israel lowered flags to half mast, and in Tel Aviv Israelis were attending an event attended by French ambassador Patrick Maisonnave. In Ramallah, a gathering was due to take place outside the French cultural centre. Hosam Zomlot, an official with Abbas’s Fatah party and one of the organisers, said protesters would carry candles and raise the French flag in central Ramallah. “This is totally and utterly unacceptable and condemned in the hearts of all Palestinians,” he said of the attack.