Arab leaders offered their condolences to the new British King Charles III, and the British people on the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Following the official announcement of the Queen’s death by Buckingham Palace on Thursday, tributes have been pouring in for the late monarch from across the Middle East.
Arab countries announced flags at half-mast to mourn the departure of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent condolences to King Charles III early on Friday, according to two statements on Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
“Her Majesty was a model of leadership that will be immortalized in history. We recall with appreciation her efforts in strengthening the relations and friendship between our two countries, as well as the high international status that Her Majesty enjoyed throughout her reign,” the King said.
“I am saddened by the news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who devoted her life in the service of her country. Her Majesty was an example of wisdom, love and peace, and the world remembers today the great impact she had throughout her reign,” Saudi Crown Prince said.
Saudi Embassy in London
“The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the people of KSA, wishes to express its deepest condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth on the passing of Her Majesty The Queen.
“Her Majesty was a long and steadfast friend to KSA, and she will long be remembered for her endless service to her country and her people. May she rest in peace.”
Qatar
The Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed his condolences to the British royal family and the British people on the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
In a tweet on his Twitter account, the Emir of Qatar said, “With her passing, the world lost a great human symbol, and during her busy career she was a source of inspiration and nobility.”
“Qatar has had solid and constructive relations that have strengthened the ties of friendship and partnership between our two peoples,” he added.
Oman
For his part, the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, issued orders to fly the flags at half-mast in the public and private sectors and in the Sultanate of Oman’s embassies abroad on Friday, September 9, 2022; to mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Diwan of Royal Court said in a statement, “With great sadness, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq received the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, as the late Queen was a friend of the Sultanate of Oman.”
The statement added, “Since her accession to the throne of the Kingdom, the Queen of Britain has been known for her pioneering wisdom and contribution to spreading love and peace in the whole world throughout her seventy-year reign, and that Oman, by losing her, loses a distinguished personality.”
UAE President
The President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, offered his condolences to the royal family and the British people, on the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Bin Zayed said, “She was united by the UAE with long friendship and close ties. The great late woman was a symbol of wisdom and tolerance and a place of respect and appreciation for the world.”
UAE Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai
UAE Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, tweeted, “I join the world in mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth, a global icon who represented the finest qualities of her nation and people.”
“Her amazing life of service and duty to the United Kingdom is unparalleled in our modern world,” he added in a tweet.
Crown Prince of Dubai
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, said the late monarch was a “Queen of love, wisdom and humanity. The world will miss you”.
Bahrain’s King
The ruler of Bahrain mourned Queen Elizabeth II’s “passing and emphasized that the world has lost a great source of inspiration and strength whose wisdom and humanity will be missed by all.”
King Hamad ordered that flags be lowered to half-mast for three days. Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, also sent a cable of condolences to King Charles III.
Kuwait
The Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) indicated that the Emir of the country, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, sent a cable of condolences to King Charles III on the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The official agency said, “The Emir of the country recalled with pride the path of Her Majesty, which was full of giving and over the past decades.”
The Kuwaiti Cabinet also issued a circular to all ministries and state institutions in all sectors, requiring the media to fly at half-mast for a period of three days, starting from September 9; to mourn the death of the late Queen.
Jordan King
Jordan’s King Abdullah II said, “Jordan mourns the passing of an iconic leader. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has been a beacon of wisdom and principled leadership for seven decades. She has been a partner of Jordan and a dear friend of the family. We stand with the people and leadership of the United Kingdom in this hard time.”
Jordan Queen
Queen Rania of Jordan, the wife of King Abdullah, said: “With a heavy heart, we bid farewell to an icon of selfless dedication and unwavering commitment, a queen who embodied the traits of a faithful and devoted sovereign.”
In Amman, the Jordanian Prime Minister, Bishr Al-Khasawneh, declared three days of mourning in the Kingdom, starting Thursday, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
During these days, flags will be at half-mast at all ministries, official departments and public institutions to mourn the death of the great deceased.
Egypt President
The Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, wrote on his Twitter account, “I extend my sincere condolences, on behalf of the people of Egypt, to the royal family, the British government and the people of the United Kingdom, on the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who led her country for decades with great wisdom. I affirm our determination to work with King Charles to strengthen the relations of our two friendly countries and peoples.”
“My condolences to the British nation on this great loss, and my full confidence in King Charles’ ability to fill the void left by Queen Elizabeth II,” he added.
Iraq President
Iraqi President Barham Salih wrote on his Twitter account, “I express my deep sadness at the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I extend my sincere condolences to the royal family and the British people. Queen Elizabeth will be remembered as a great symbol in history who served with honour, dignity and courage.”
Iraq Prime Minister
Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi said, “Our deep and sincere sympathies to the British people and Britain’s Royal Family. Queen Elizabeth II was respected and cherished the world over. We extend our condolences to King Charles III, and stress the continued partnership between our two countries.”
Turkey President
“It is with sadness that I learned of Elizabeth’s passing today. My deepest condolences to the Royal Family and the people and government of the United Kingdom, friendly and allied,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on his Twitter account.
Palestinian President
President Mahmoud Abbas sent a cable of condolences to the new British monarch, King Charles III, on the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away today, Thursday, at the age of 96.
In a telegram of condolences published by the Palestinian News Agency, Abbas said that the Queen “has devoted her life to serving her country and people since ascending to the throne for many decades, which she spent in giving, doing good deeds and performing her royal duties, leaving a rich legacy that will remain engraved in the minds and hearts of generations.”
Israel Prime Minister
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday sent his condolences to the royal family, saying the queen “left behind an unparalleled legacy of leadership and service”.
On Thursday, September 8, Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96, to be automatically succeeded by her eldest son, Prince Charles, 73, in accordance with centuries-old protocol.
The Queen, who is the longest-reigning British monarch and the oldest of the world’s monarchs, has been suffering from what Buckingham Palace described as “episodic problems with movement” since the end of last year, which caused her difficulty walking and standing.
In June, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne, making her the longest-reigning queen in her country’s history.
