Saudi Arabia donating $200 million for Palestinian cities to prevent Judaization
Abdullah seeks to protect cities' Islamic character; plan calls for building infrastructure, expanding water purification plants.
By ARIEL BEN SOLOMONSaudi King Abdullah 390(photo credit: Reuters/Saudi Press Agency)
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has decided to grant $200 million for the development of Palestinian cities, and for protecting their Arab and Islamic character against “Judaization.”Municipal and Rural Affairs Minister Prince Mansour bin Miteb announced the news on Sunday while opening a conference of the Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities in Saudi Arabia, Saudi newspaper Arab News reported on Monday.In addition to preventing Judaization, he said, laws must be passed to protect the environment and thereby achieve sustainable development.The Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities is a nonprofit group founded in 1980, according to its website. It is an affiliate of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.The website claims that the organization “does not interfere in the affairs of any State.”Specifically the plan calls for building infrastructure and expanding purification plants for drinking water.Mansour said that the program would be named after Abdullah and implemented in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank and UN Habitat.
