61-397: Crown Prince Abdullah may refer to Abdullah , King of Saudi Arabia 'Abd al-Ilah , Crown Prince of Iraq Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Crown Prince Abdullah . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to
122-409: A culture of peace" and calling for "concrete action at the global, regional and subregional levels." It brought together Muslim and non-Muslim nations to eradicate preconceptions as to Islam and terrorism, with world leaders—including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair , Israeli President Shimon Peres , US President George W. Bush and King Abdullah II of Jordan —attending. In 2011, an agreement for
183-507: A debate among hundreds of princes in Riyadh. Abdullah did not relinquish authority of SANG in that he feared that this would weaken his authority. In March 1979 when Crown Prince Fahd left Saudi Arabia and stayed in Europe for a long time Prince Abdullah presided over the council of ministers and held a much more active role in diplomatic affairs of Saudi Arabia. During the same period he was one of
244-523: A formal back channel of communication between the two leaders. Abdullah said he had agreed, and the channel was established, with Velayati and Saud Al Faisal as the points of contact. In the ensuing years, the King noted, the channel had never been used. In April 2008, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable , Abdullah had told the US Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker , and General David Petraeus to "cut off
305-468: A group of Sunni clerics that had previously expressed their loathing for the Shi'i minority. Abdullah succeeded to the throne upon the death of his half-brother King Fahd. He was formally enthroned on 2 August 2005. In 2005, Abdullah declared that the national day of the country, 23 September, would be a public holiday in an attempt to reduce the influence of religious figures and some social restrictions. It
366-657: A guaranteed oil supply in return for Chinese pressure on Iran not to develop nuclear weapons. In late March 2011, Abdullah sent Bandar bin Sultan, Secretary General of the National Security Council , to China to gain its support regarding Saudi Arabia's attitude towards the Arab Spring. In turn, lucrative arms contracts were secretly offered to China by the Kingdom. Furthermore, Abdullah believed that China as well as India were
427-677: A longtime close ally of the United States. In October 1976, as Prince Abdullah was being trained for greater responsibility in Riyadh, he was sent to the United States to meet with President Gerald Ford . He again traveled to the United States as Crown Prince in October 1987, meeting Vice President George H. W. Bush . In September 1998, Crown Prince Abdullah made a state visit to the United States to meet in Washington with President Bill Clinton . In September 2000, he attended millennium celebrations at
488-568: A more moderate cleric, state news agency SPA reported, without giving reasons. Abdullatif Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh was named, in place of Sheikh Abdulaziz al Humain, to head the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice . Abdullah had appointed Humain in 2009 to head the "mutaween," which ensures the strict application of the country's ultra-conservative version of Islam, as a step towards reforming it. Humain hired consultants to restructure
549-512: A new department for female students. He promoted the construction of the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (the country's new flagship and controversially co-ed institution for advanced scientific research). The Kingdom's 2010 budget reflected these priorities—about 25 percent was devoted to education alone—and amounts to a significant economic stimulus package. The Saudi government's response to homegrown terrorism
610-654: A paper on dialogue with monotheists—highlighting the monotheistic religions of southeast Asia, including Sikhism —in the third axis of the fourth meeting, titled "With Whom We Talk," presented by Sheikh Badrul Hasan Al Qasimi. The session was chaired by Ezz Eddin Ibrahim, cultural adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates. The session also discussed a paper presented on coordination among Islamic institutions on Dialogue by Abdullah bin Omar Nassif, Secretary General of
671-467: A provision obliging employees to report instances of abuse in the workplace to their employer. The move followed a Twitter campaign. The new laws were welcomed by Saudi women's rights activists, although some expressed concerns that the law could not be implemented successfully without new training for the judiciary, and that the tradition of male guardianship would remain an obstacle to prosecutions. In November 2007, Abdullah visited Pope Benedict XVI in
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#1732858213897732-434: A single entity", Abdullah said at the opening session of a GCC meeting in Riyadh in comments aired on Saudi state television. "No doubt, you all know we are targeted in our security and stability". On 16 February 2003, Parade magazine's David Wallechinsky rated King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah as the second worst dictators in the world. Most of this criticism stems from the fact that most of Saudi citizens live under
793-433: A strict Wahhabist interpretation of Sharia law , which mandates the amputation of hands as a punishment for theft and floggings for crimes like drunkenness. Execution by public beheading is common for murder, rape, drug trafficking and witchcraft, and Abdullah's policies towards the rights of women have also been criticized. In a slight rebuff to accusations of human rights violations, Saudi inmates of Najran Province sent
854-664: Is not." In September 2014, following the spread of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), he issued a statement, "From the cradle of revelation and the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, I call on leaders and scholars of the Islamic nation to carry out their duty towards God Almighty, and to stand in the face of those trying to hijack Islam and present it to the world as a religion of extremism, hatred, and terrorism, and to speak
915-463: The 2011–2012 Saudi Arabian protests , in September 2011, the King announced women's right to vote in the 2015 municipal council elections , a first significant reform step in the country since the protests. He also stated that women would become eligible to take part in the unelected shura . In January 2012, Abdullah dismissed the head of Saudi Arabia's powerful religious police, replacing him with
976-527: The Apostolic Palace , being first Saudi monarch to do so. In March 2008, he called for a "brotherly and sincere dialogue between believers from all religions". In June 2008, Abdullah held a conference in Mecca to urge Muslim leaders to speak with one voice with Jewish and Christian leaders. He discussed with, and obtained approval from, Saudi and non-Saudi Islamic scholars to hold the interfaith dialogue. In
1037-751: The Arab Peace Initiative , commonly referred to as the "Abdullah plan", to achieve a mutually agreed-on resolution of the Arab–Israeli conflict . The initiative was adopted at the Arab League 's Beirut summit in March 2002. On the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks , Crown Prince Abdullah wrote a letter to US President George W. Bush , which ended with the following words: "God Almighty, in His wisdom, tests
1098-647: The Syrian Civil War . In August 2011, Abdullah recalled the Saudi Ambassador from Damascus due to the political unrest in Syria and closed its embassy. In December 2011, Abdullah called on leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council to strengthen their alliance into a united "single entity" as they confront threats to national security. "I ask you today to move from a stage of cooperation to a stage of union in
1159-692: The World Trade Organization , surprising some. In August 2001, he ordered then Saudi Ambassador to the US, Bandar bin Sultan , to return to Washington from Aspen to deliver a message. This reportedly occurred after Crown Prince Abdullah witnessed brutality inflicted by an Israeli soldier upon a Palestinian woman. “This is it. Those bastards!" Abdullah yelled over the phone, according to an account that Bandar has given associates. “Even women they're stepping all over them." Later, he also condemned Israel for attacking families of suspects. In 2002, he developed
1220-469: The full brothers of King Fahd . Upon becoming king in 2005, Abdullah appointed his half-brother Sultan bin Abdulaziz as crown prince. When Sultan died in 2011, Sultan's full brother Nayef was named heir to the throne, but Nayef himself died the next year. Abdullah then named Salman bin Abdulaziz as crown prince. According to various reports, Abdullah married up to 30 times and had more than 35 children. He
1281-593: The Al Saud Family Council was established by Crown Prince Abdullah to discuss some private issues, including the business activities of House of Saud members and the marriages of princesses to nonroyals. In May 2001 he did not accept an invitation to visit Washington due to the US support for Israel in the Second Intifada . He also appeared more eager than King Fahd to cut government spending and open Saudi Arabia up economically. He pushed for Saudi membership of
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#17328582138971342-637: The Consultative Assembly or Shura Council and modified the related law to mandate that no less than 20 percent of 150 members would be women. In August 2013, the Saudi cabinet, for the first time, approved a law making domestic violence a criminal offence. The law calls for a punishment of up to a year in prison and a fine of up to 50,000 riyals (€11,500/US$ 13,000). The maximum punishments could be doubled for repeat offenders. The law criminalizes psychological, sexual as well as physical abuse. It also includes
1403-627: The Grand Mufti to identify eligible scholars. In light of the Arab Spring , Abdullah laid down a $ 37 billion (€32.8 billion) programme of new spending including new jobless benefits, education and housing subsidies, debt write-offs, and a new sports channel. There was also a pledge to spend a total of $ 400 billion by the end of 2014 to improve education, health care and the kingdom's infrastructure. However, Saudi police arrested 100 Shiite protesters who complained of government discrimination. Later during
1464-571: The House of Saud. SANG, which had been based on the Ikhwan , became a modern armed force under his command. Beginning 1985, SANG also sponsored the Janadiriyah festival that institutionalized traditional folk dances, camel races and tribal heritage. King Khalid appointed Abdullah as second deputy prime minister on 29 March 1975 just four days after his kingship which was a reflection of his status as second in
1525-760: The Iranians "launch missiles with the hope of putting fear in people and the world". The King described his conversation with Iranian foreign minister Mottaki as "a heated exchange, frankly discussing Iran's interference in Arab affairs". When challenged by the King on Iranian meddling in Hamas affairs, Mottaki apparently protested that "these are Muslims". "No, Arabs", countered the King. "You as Persians have no business meddling in Arab matters". Abdullah said he would favor Rafsanjani in an Iranian election. He told General Jones that Iranian internal turmoil presented an opportunity to weaken
1586-651: The King well-wishes from jail and wished him a speedy recovery. Abdullah has also been criticized for his policies on religious freedom and the Saudi government allegedly has arrested Shiite pilgrims on the Hajj . On 24 January 2007, Human Rights Watch sent an open letter to Abdullah asking him to cease religious persecution of the Ahmadi faith in Saudi Arabia. Two letters were sent in November 2006 and February 2007 asking him to remove
1647-760: The United Nations in New York City. In April 2002, Crown Prince Abdullah made a state visit to the United States with President George W. Bush and he returned again in April 2005 with Bush. In April 2009, at a summit for world leaders President Barack Obama met with Abdullah, while in June 2009 he hosted President Obama in Saudi Arabia. In turn, Obama hosted the King at the White House in the same month. Abdullah showed great support for Obama's presidency. "Thank God for bringing Obama to
1708-488: The United States and the United Kingdom and bought billions of dollars worth of defense equipment from both states. Abdullah maintained the status quo when there were waves of protest in the kingdom during the Arab Spring . He held four of his daughters, which he fathered with Al Anoud Al Fayez whom he married when she was age 15, captive against their will. The three crown princes during Abdullah's reign were among
1769-481: The United States" and are considered property of the US government. The Bush administration ignored advice from him and Saudi foreign minister Saud Al Faisal against invading Iraq. However, other sources said that many Arab governments were only nominally opposed to the Iraq invasion because of popular hostility. Before becoming king, Prince Abdullah was thought to be completely against the US invasion of Iraq; this, however,
1830-538: The United States. The military personnel were part of the Peninsula Shield Force , which is stationed in Saudi Arabia, but not affiliated to one country alone. In December 2010, leaked diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks revealed that Abdullah wanted all released detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to be tracked using an implanted microchip, in a way similar to race horses. The King made
1891-657: The World Islamic Council for Preaching and Relief and a paper on dialogue with divine messages, presented by Professor Mohammed Sammak—Secretary General of the Islamic Spiritual Summit in Lebanon. In November 2008, Abdullah and his government arranged discussion at the United Nations General Assembly to "promote dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, as well as activities related to
Crown Prince Abdullah - Misplaced Pages Continue
1952-593: The World Trade Center: a world that is blessed by the virtues of freedom, peace, prosperity and harmony." By late 2003, after the Saudi Arabian branch of al-Qaeda carried out a series of bombings that threatened to destabilize the country, Crown Prince Abdullah, together with other decision-making elites began to deal with political concerns. As Toby Jones wrote in Middle East Report : One of such moves
2013-403: The bone", he stated. He was the leading gift-giver to the US president and his office in his first two years in office, his gifts totaling more than $ 300,000. A ruby and diamond jewelry set, given by the king and accepted by First Lady Michelle Obama on behalf of the United States, was worth $ 132,000. However, according to US federal law, gifts of such nature and value are accepted "on behalf of
2074-556: The children of his mother's first marriage to Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Rashid . Madawi Al-Rasheed argues that Abdullah's maternal roots and his earlier experience of a speech impediment led to delay in his rise to higher status among the sons of King Abdulaziz. In August 1963, Abdullah was made commander of Saudi National Guard replacing Saad bin Saud , a son of King Saud , in the post. This post allowed him to secure his position in
2135-463: The entire Saudi team might have been disqualified on grounds of gender discrimination. The public participation of women in sport was still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives. There had been almost no public tradition of women participating in sport in the country. Saudi officials said that, if successful in qualifying, female competitors would be dressed "to preserve their dignity". On 11 January 2013, Abdullah appointed thirty women to
2196-573: The establishment of the Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna was signed between the governments of Austria, Spain, and Saudi Arabia. The official opening of the centre was in November 2012, with foreign minister Saud Al Faisal as its first general secretary and Austria's former federal justice minister Claudia Bandion-Ortner as
2257-412: The faithful by allowing such calamities to happen. But He, in His mercy, also provides us with the will and determination, generated by faith, to enable us to transform such tragedies into great achievements, and crises that seem debilitating are transformed into opportunities for the advancement of humanity. I only hope that, with your cooperation and leadership, a new world will emerge out of the rubble of
2318-511: The first by a Saudi head of state to China since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1990. Bilateral trade with China has more than tripled, and China would soon be Saudi Arabia's largest importer. Saudi Arabia also committed significant investments in China, including the $ 8 billion Fujian refinery. Based on a WikiLeaks cable, the King told the Chinese that it was willing to effectively trade
2379-658: The first deputy general secretary. Abdullah called for the establishment of an Arab common market in January 2011. Saudi foreign minister, Saud bin Faisal, stated that the Arab Customs Union would be ready by 2015, and that by 2017 the common market would also be in place. There have been intensive efforts to link Arab countries with a railway system and an electricity power grid. Work on the power grid project has started in some Arab countries. Abdullah had long been pro-American and
2440-586: The future markets for Saudi energy. Abdullah visited Turkey in August 2006 being the first Saudi king who paid an official visit there. In November 2009, Abdullah was received by Nicolas Sarkozy , who committed various diplomatic faux pas. The diplomatic relationship Jacques Chirac had with Saudi Arabia was not evident with Sarkozy. In January 2011, the Kingdom granted asylum to the ousted Tunisian leader, Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali , under conditions of no further political involvement. According to leaked cables, Abdullah
2501-481: The head of the snake". Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Washington, Adel al-Jubeir , "recalled the King's frequent exhortations to the US to attack Iran" and to put an end to that country's nuclear program . Abdullah asserted that Iran was trying to set up Hezbollah -like organizations in African countries, observing that the Iranians didn't think they were doing anything wrong and didn't recognize their mistakes. He said that
Crown Prince Abdullah - Misplaced Pages Continue
2562-656: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crown_Prince_Abdullah&oldid=1044748483 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Abdullah of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ( Arabic : عبد الله بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd , Najdi Arabic pronunciation: [ʢæbˈdɑɫ.ɫɐ ben ˈʢæbdæl ʢæˈziːz ʔæːl sæˈʢuːd] ; 1 August 1924 – 23 January 2015)
2623-521: The line of succession to the Saudi throne. Therefore, he became the number three in the Saudi administration. However, his appointment caused friction in the House of Saud. Then-Crown Prince Fahd, together with his full-brothers, known as the Sudairi Seven , supported the appointment of their own full brother, Sultan. Abdullah was pressured to cede control of SANG in return for his appointment as second deputy prime minister. In August 1977, this generated
2684-531: The members of the inner family council which was led by King Khalid and included Abdullah's half-brothers Prince Mohammed, Crown Prince Fahd, Prince Sultan and Prince Abdul Muhsin as well as his uncles Prince Ahmed and Prince Musaid . On 13 June 1982 King Khalid died, and Fahd bin Abdulaziz became King. Abdullah became Crown Prince the same day who also maintained his position as head of the National Guard. During his years as crown prince, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
2745-561: The organisation, met local human rights groups and consulted professional image-builders in a broad public relations campaign. Under his leadership the commission also investigated and punished some "out-of-control" officers for misbehaviour. In July 2012, Saudi Arabia announced that it would allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time and that the country's Olympic Committee would "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify". The decision ended speculation that
2806-515: The presidency", he said, adding that Obama's election created "great hope" in the Muslim world. He stated, "We (the US and Saudi Arabia) spilled blood together" in Kuwait and Iraq, that Saudi Arabia valued this tremendously and that friendship could be a difficult issue that requires work, but that the United States and Saudi Arabia had done it for 70 years over three generations. "Our disagreements don't cut to
2867-401: The private suggestion during a meeting in Riyadh in March 2009 with White House counterterrorism adviser, John O. Brennan . Brennan replied that "horses don't have good lawyers" and that such a proposal would "face legal hurdles" in the United States. Since Abdullah's visit to Beijing in January 2006, Saudi-Chinese relations have focused predominantly on energy and trade. The king's visit was
2928-508: The regime—which he encouraged—but he also urged that this be done covertly, stressing that public statements in support of the reformers were counterproductive. The King assessed that sanctions could help weaken the government, but only if they are strong and sustained. Saudi Arabia, by the endorsement of the Gulf Cooperation Council , sent 1,200 troops to Bahrain to protect industrial facilities, resulting in strained relations with
2989-598: The same month, Saudi Arabia and Spain agreed to hold the interfaith dialogue in Spain. The historic conference finally took place in Madrid in July 2008, wherein religious leaders of different faiths participated, and which later led to the 2010 proclamation of World Interfaith Harmony Week . Abdullah had never previously made overtures for dialogue with eastern religious leaders, such as Hindus and Buddhists . The Mecca conference discussed
3050-481: The travel ban on critics of the Saudi government. Human Rights Watch has not yet indicated whether they have received any response to these letters. On 30 October 2007, during a state visit to the UK, Abdullah was accused by protestors of being a "murderer" and a "torturer". Concerns were raised about the treatment of women and homosexuals by the Saudi kingdom and over alleged bribes involving arms deals between Saudi Arabia and
3111-409: The word of truth, and not fear anybody. Our nation today is passing through a critical, historic stage, and history will be witness against those who have been the tool exploited by the enemies to disperse and tear the nation and tarnish the pure image of Islam". In 2006, Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei had sent his adviser Ali Akbar Velayati with a letter asking for Abdullah's agreement to establish
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#17328582138973172-674: Was King and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 1 August 2005 until his death in 2015. Prior to his accession, he was Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia since 13 June 1982. He was the tenth son of King Abdulaziz , the founder of Saudi Arabia. Abdullah was the son of King Abdulaziz and Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim . His mother was a member of the Al Rashid dynasty , historical rivals of the Al Saud dynasty . Abdullah held important political posts throughout most of his adult life. In 1961 he became mayor of Mecca , his first public office. The following year, he
3233-495: Was a series of crackdowns including raids by security forces, arrests, torture and public beheadings. In August 2010, Abdullah decreed that only officially approved religious scholars associated with the Senior Council of Ulema would be allowed to issue fatwas . Similar decrees since 2005 were previously seldom enforced. Individual fatwas relating to personal matters were exempt from the royal decree. The decree also instructed
3294-449: Was among the wealthiest royals in the world. Upon his death in 2015 at age 90, he was succeeded as King by his half-brother Salman, although Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would become de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. Abdullah is said to have been born on 1 August 1924 in Riyadh. However, some sources state that this date is incorrect, and that he was approximately eight years older. He
3355-512: Was appointed commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard , a post he was still holding when he became king. He also served as deputy defense minister and was named crown prince when his half-brother Fahd took the throne in 1982. After King Fahd suffered a serious stroke in 1995, Abdullah became the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia until ascending the throne a decade later. During his reign, Abdullah maintained close relations with
3416-458: Was criticized by the religious figures who argued that such celebration was not part of Islam. Abdullah implemented many reform measures. He re-shuffled the ministry of education's leadership in February 2009 by bringing in his pro-reform son-in-law, Faisal bin Abdullah , as the new minister. He also appointed Nora Al Fayez , a U.S.-educated former teacher, as deputy education minister in charge of
3477-522: Was described as a supporter of accommodation. He managed to group a large number of fringe and marginalized princes discontented with the prospect of the succession being passed among the Sudairi brothers one after the other. His control of the National Guard was also a key factor to his success in becoming crown prince. When King Fahd was incapacitated by a major stroke in 1995, Crown Prince Abdullah acted as de facto regent of Saudi Arabia. On 4 June 2000,
3538-460: Was his project to promote more tolerance for religious diversity and rein in the forces of politico-religious extremism in the kingdom, leading to the establishment of National Dialogue . In the summer of 2003, Abdullah threw his considerable weight behind the creation of a national dialogue that brought leading religious figures together, including a highly publicized meeting attended by the kingdom's preeminent Shi'i scholar Hasan al-Saffar, as well as
3599-401: Was more receptive than Crown Prince Sultan to former Yemeni President Saleh . Abdullah supported renewed diplomatic relations with the Syrian government and Bashar al-Assad . They met in Damascus on 7 October 2009. In addition, Assad attended the opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in October 2009. Relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia deteriorated as a result of
3660-449: Was not the case. Riyadh provided essential support to the United States during the war and proved that "necessity does lead to some accommodations from time to time". The King expressed a complete lack of trust in Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and held out little hope for improved Saudi-Iraqi relations as long as Al Maliki remained in office. Abdullah told an Iraqi official about Al Maliki, "You and Iraq are in my heart, but that man
3721-443: Was the tenth son of King Abdulaziz. His mother, Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim, was a member of the Al Rashid dynasty, longtime rivals of the Al Saud dynasty. She was descended from the powerful Shammar tribe and was the daughter of former tribe chief Asi bin Shuraim . She died when Abdullah was six years old. Abdullah had two younger full-sisters, Nouf and Seeta , and two maternal half-brothers, Abdulaziz and Mishaal , who were
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