Radical Islam Is Dividing Muslim World: Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said radical Islam was dividing the Muslim world. He was speaking at a meeting for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Kuwait.

Jubeir spoke Wednesday on the challenges of violence and extremism. In his opening statement, the Saudi official said that anti-extremist leaders were committed to confront it. He added that the Yemen conflict was a “reflection of the suffering of the global Muslim community.”

Houthi militias are fighting in Yemen to overthrow Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Saudi Arabia has a strong involvement in the air campaign against the militant forces.

The Saudi Gazette reported that more than 50 foreign ministers from Muslim countries were attending the OIC meeting this week. The meeting's goal is to build a strategy against violent extremism and terrorism.

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah referred to the Yemen conflict in his opening statement. He said that the Yemeni president had requested the Arab coalition so that legitimacy could be restored. He said that Houthi rebels had threatened the stability and security of the Arab countries.

According to Al-Sabah, the Saudi-led airstrikes are justified. He condemned the suicide bombing attack on a Saudi mosque that had killed 21 people Friday. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Islamic State group forces.

The Saudi Interior Ministry labeled a number of Islamist groups as terrorists in March 2014. Lebanon's Hezbollah was one of them. Saudi Arabia supports Sunni rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad.

"We must take a serious stand on the sectarian malady that has been shaking the structure of our nation and fragments it," Al Arabia quoted the emir as saying. “We are all losers in this conflict, and the winner is the one who wants to inflame this destructive strife for their own objectives.”

Saudi Arabia has condemned two senior officials of Hezbollah group for spreading "chaos and instability." Reuters reported that Saudi officials had designated Khalil Youssef Harb and Mohammed Qabalan as “terrorists.” According to the Saudi Press Agency, financial sanctions have been imposed on the two. The kingdom has reportedly banned any dealings with them and frozen their assets. A Saudi statement said that the kingdom would continue to target Hezbollah members and impose sanctions if Hezbollah carried out illegal and criminal activities anywhere on the planet.