RIYADH, July 27: A one-day long Saudi telethon to raise funds for Lebanon’s war victims raised $29 million on Thursday.

Saudi King Abdullah had ordered the telethon in order to Show solidarity of the Saudi nation with their Lebanese brethren. King Abdullah himself announced a personal donation of around three million dollars during the telethon. Crown Prince Sultan announced a donation of $1.5 million while Interior Minister Prince Naif, the telethon’s organiser, donated of around 600,000 dollars.

Earlier in the week King Abdullah had announced a donation of $50 million as urgent assistance to Lebanon and a grant of $500 million to the Lebanese people from an Arab fund for the reconstruction of Lebanon.