The Kingdom on Monday condemned the Israeli move to displace about 1,500 Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem's Al-Bustan neighborhood. The Israeli moves, it said, are in flagrant violation of the Geneva protocols and agreements for protection of the civilians. Israeli media last week announced plans to destroy 88 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, thus displacing at least 1,500 Palestinians. The plan is to take over 88 homes in Al-Bustan neighborhood, located immediately south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Many of the homes were built before 1967. According to Israeli plans registered with the Jerusalem municipality, this traditionally Palestinian neighborhood is to become a park, with flowers, trees and café's. The condemnation of the Israeli move came during the weekly Cabinet session here chaired by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. King Abdullah thanked Almighty Allah for the successful operation of Crown Prince Sultan. The Monarch also prayed for protection and good health for the Crown Prince. Dr. Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Information and Culture, said King Abdullah briefed the Cabinet on the outcome of his consultations with leaders and their envoys including the messages he received from Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Kuwaiti ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The contacts, the King said, focused on the developments in the region and the world as well as Arab relations and mending the Arab rifts, a SPA report said. Khoja said the Cabinet appreciated King Abdullah's speech following the oath taken by new Shoura Council chairman and members. In his speech, King Abdullah expressed his appreciation to the Shoura Council and his aspiration that the council would continue to give its advice copiously. Khoja said the Cabinet valued the comprehensive contents of the King's message to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for achieving Palestinian reconcilaition. The Cabinet, Khoja said, hoped that the International Court of Justice at The Hague trying terror suspects and the assassination of Lebanese leader Rafiq Al-Hariri will achieve the desired reults. The Cabinet lambasted the continued construction of Jewish settlements and said it poses a big hurdle for the efforts to achieve peace in the Mideast. The Council urged the international community to intervene immediately to stop these actions which contradict the simplest principles of human rights and pose a great challenge to the will of the international community. The Cabinet also highlighted the importance of the cultural activities in the Kingdom including Janadriya Festival and Riyadh Book Fair. These cultural activities, the Cabinet said, reflect the state's keenness to protect cultural and scientific activities depicting the Kingdom as a center of Arab cultural radiance. The Cabinet approved the recommendation of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities on the urban heritage sites owned by citizens. It also approved a recommendation for granting the owners of these buildings and sites to handle specific activities that would achieve investment opportunities matching the nature of the building besides offering them a loan from the Credit and Savings Bank to restore, maintain and rehabilitate their building. __
