Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Commission (HRC) has criticized Israel's annexation of sanctuaries in Hebron which it says is aimed at erasing 14 centuries of Islamic heritage and goes against international law. This was the comment made by Dr. Bandar Muhammad Al-Aiban, chairman of the HRC at the 13th session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in Geneva Monday. Al-Aiban was referring to an Israeli plan to renovate two holy sites in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli plan is to renovate Al-Ibrahimi Mosque. The plan, which also includes the Mosque of Bilal Bin Rabah, has angered Palestinians. The United States has criticized the action as a “provocative” act that could undermine peace initiatives that was suspended during Israel's war on Gaza over a year ago. It has also been widely condemned by the international community and the Muslim world. Al-Aiban said the Israelis have consistently violated the rights of Palestinians because of the continued occupation and illegal settlements. In his speech, Al-Aiban also emphasized the importance the Kingdom placed on the promotion of human rights in the context of Islamic teachings. He said the Kingdom was determined to work harder to consolidate and further develop a culture of human rights. He said the Kingdom was committed to continue a process of dialogue with all cultures and religions. In this regard, Al-Aiban said the country has now adopted a four-year plan to promote a culture of tolerance and understanding. This includes building on the institutional capabilities of the governmental and non-governmental organizations. He said the Kingdom has recently approved an anti-human trafficking law to protect the most vulnerable groups in society from exploitation. Moreover, a permanent committee will be set up in the Human Right Commission to follow-up on victims of human trafficking. The Kingdom has contributed generously to initiatives aimed at reducing the negative impact of the global financial crisis by writing off $6 billion of debt owed by less developed countries. Donations have also been made to the World Food Program to assist poor countries withstand the hike in food prices. It has also allocated $500 million to education projects in developing nations; and a further $30 million for various children's health programs. Al-Aiban pointed out that the total amount of aid and loans made by the Kingdom over the past three decades has now reached about $90 billion. More than 87 developing countries have benefited. This represents four percent of the Kingdom's Gross National Product (GNP) which surpasses the percentage aid and loans of the United States.
