King’s TV appearance gladdens citizens

The governor of Najran, Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah, has congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on the success of his back surgery, particularly after viewing the king hosting visitors in a news cast. The king received Crown Prince Salman and other senior princes who visited and congratulated him on the success of the treatment at the King Abdul Aziz Medical City of the National Guard in Riyadh on Wednesday. The Saudi TV showed the king talking to princes and explaining the lengthy operation procedures. “The people have been praying for your quick recovery until the announcement of the successful surgery was made and they viewed you receiving your brothers and sons. They also prayed for your good health and continuation of your leadership in the march toward progress, welfare of citizens and service to the nation,” Prince Mishaal said in message to the king yesterday. Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar and Deputy Gov. Prince Faisal bin Mishaal also expressed their happiness at the successful surgery and recuperation. A number of citizens told the Saudi Press Agency that they were overcome with joy when they saw the king on television on Wednesday. “We were all greatly delighted to view on television a fully recovered King Abdullah’s reception of visitors,” Abdul Hafeez bin Hafiz, a citizen from Madinah, said. Another citizen, Amir Al-Motairi, said the whole nation is excited over the king’s recovery and every one, small or big, man or woman has been praying to the Almighty for the king’s health for the past 10 days. “The very sight of the king on television cheered up the people. This shows the depth of loyalty and love of the people for the king,” Mustafa Khoja, a Saudi teacher in Madinah, said. Another citizen, Sahl Samman said the day in which the king made his public appearance should be marked as a special day in the history of the Kingdom. “May Allah give the king lasting health and well-being and enhance the pride and strength of the country and ummah,” Samman said. The king appeared on television after Prince Salman announced the king was enjoying good health at a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh one day earlier. The king was admitted to the hospital to tighten a loose spinal ligament with surgical intervention on Nov. 17. The king underwent a similar operation in October last year. In November 2010, he was operated upon in New York for a slipped disc complicated by a blood clot that put pressure on his spine. He underwent a further operation the following month before convalescing for a month in Morocco. From : Arabnews