NEWYORK, August 10, 2011(WAFA) - Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations (UN), Riyad Mansour urged Wednesday the international community to take action to stop the continues destruction of  ‘Ma’man Allah’ historical cemetery in East Jerusalem, by the Israeli government.

Mansour urged the international community to condemn the Israeli construction of the so-called “Center for Human Dignity – Museum of Tolerance” over the buried Muslims in the cemetery.

He referred to UN charters, which aim to “achieve international cooperation…promote human rights respect and basic rights of all humans despite of their gender, language or religion.”

This came in letters he sent to UN general secretary, the president of the Security Council and the president of the general assembly, in which he attached letters from Palestinian Christians, Muslims, politicians, business men and civil society activists, addressing the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, and UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) director, Irina Bokova.

He said that “it’s ironic that the names of the center and the museum contradict with this act, which represents contempt and intolerance to human dignity and values.”

He added that there are a lot of international human rights conventions, which guarantee the protection of cultural heritage and properties, including religious sites, such as cemeteries.

He indicated that the construction over the cemetery constitute a violation of the basic human rights stated in the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination agreement.

The ambassador called on the international community, especially UN, to take the necessary measures to put pressure on Israel to end its illegal policy of discrimination and disrespect of holy Palestinian Muslim and Christian sites.

To be noted, among the International human rights conventions, which guarantee the protection of cultural heritage and properties are: UNESCO’s world heritage agreement, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on economic, social and cultural rights.

M.G./F.R.