Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Saudi King Abdullah, past 90 and ailing, still makes major decisions in the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom, a report said.

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy said Abdullah remains the leading force in Saudi Arabia. In a report, the institute said Abdullah was responsible for the biggest shakeup in the Saudi government, the replacement of eight Cabinet ministers on Dec. 8.

“The new appointments suggest the monarch is still an active decision-maker,” the report, titled “Saudi Cabinet Changes Suggest Domestic Discontent,” said.

Author Simon Henderson, regarded as a leading U.S. analyst on Riyad, said the king appeared to be responding to rising criticism of Saudi domestic policy. The Health Ministry and Transportation Ministry have been examined by the Consultative Council, an advisory group to the king, who is also prime minister.

The reshuffle did not extend to senior ministers, including defense, foreign, energy and interior. Moreover, no member of the royal family was dismissed.

Henderson pointed to the dismissal of the Islamic affairs minister, normally reserved for the Al Sheik family. He said this marked the first time in decades that the powerful family would not be represented in the Cabinet.

“Some of the Cabinet changes may also stem from allegations of corruption — a persistent issue in Saudi Arabia, but one that the leadership never deals with openly. Last year, the kingdom’s Grand Mufti stated that corrupt officials should not be exposed publicly, reflecting the Saudi preference for closing ranks when facing possible criticism.”

Abdullah, whose age was said to be actually 98, has rarely ventured out of his palace. He did not attend the Dec. 9 Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Qatar nor has he taken his annual vacation in Morocco.

“More broadly, the Cabinet reshuffle highlights the potentially significant role that Saudi domestic opinion could play in the challenges facing 91-year-old King Abdullah and the senior royals who advise him,” the report said.