The Council of Arab Ministers in Charge of Environmental Affairs condemned United Nations Environment Program's signing of a memorandum of understanding with Israel on establishing a regional center for building capabilities of human resources of the countries in the Middle East in the field of environment. In a press conference which was attended by Prince Turki bin Nasir bin Abdulaziz, General President of Meteorology and Environment Protection and Head of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Ministers in Charge of Environment Affairs, following the conclusion of the meetings of the council today, Tunisian Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development and president of the council Nathir Hamadah said the council expressed condemnation of the agreement signed between the program and Israel to build capabilities in the developing nations in the environment field including Palestine and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia noting that this agreement was concluded in illegal ways. The minister added that the council asked the Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Mousa to inform United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the Arab rejection of this memorandum and their refusal to establish this center in Israel asking how such a center is established in a country based on occupation. The minister noted that the council discussed the possibility and willingness of the Arab Countries to host another United Nations Environment Program-affiliated center in an Arab country to build capabilities. The minister explained that the Arab countries agreed to boycott the center and its activities.
