RIYADH, 12 April — The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) has decided to raise its monthly contribution to Palestinian intifada from SR3 million to SR10 million and also set up a branch office in the West Bank as part of its drive to expand relief work and other emergency services.
This was disclosed at a press conference by Dr. Saleh Al-Wohaibi, assistant secretary-general of WAMY for administrative affairs. Aref Al-Barakati, head of WAMY’s Information Section, and Dr. Abdullah Al-Haizan, head of Palestine committee, were also present. The meeting was called to brief newsmen on WAMY’s activities in Palestine, where it has opened a branch office in Gaza, while plans are afoot to establish more cells in other parts of the Palestinian territory.
Pointing out that the Palestinians need billions of dollars for their relief and rehabilitation, Dr. Al-Wohaibi said WAMY’s Palestine committee would go into overdrive to increase its monthly target from SR3 million to SR10 million. He said that WAMY volunteers would fan out throughout the Kingdom as part of their funds collection drive. They will also coordinate with the volunteers in the Gulf states working for the same goal. This was in addition to the over $70 million they had collected from donations through WAMY offices abroad and on special occasions.
WAMY has also opened an account with the Al Rajhi Banking and Investment Corporation. The executive appealed to well-wishers to pitch in with contributions to the Palestine committee in A/C No. 666331/279. The amount could be deposited either through the ATM (under the head “contributions to Palestine committee”) or at WAMY’s headquarters on Dhabab Street. Details are available at 4641669.
It was also announced that WAMY would be shifting its headquarters to a new location near Al Owais Market in the north of Riyadh. WAMY will use three floors of the SR30 million eight-story building, while the remaining five floors will be rented out.
Dr. Al-Wohaibi called on the Arab, Muslim and Western governments to support Intifada, as the Palestinians, both Muslims and Christians, were suffering under brutal Israeli aggression. He said they had trained 5,000 Palestinians to provide emergency services to the sick and the wounded. They were also helping them out with temporary jobs for the distribution of relief and medical supplies. More offices would be opened in different parts of the territory, since the scale of the tragedy was horrendous.
On the question of medical services and relief supplies, Dr. Al-Wohaibi said they were being carried out under a sectoral distribution program. The territory had been segmented into various sections — Gaza, Hebron and Bethleham in the south, Al Quds, Ramallah and Jericho in the center, and Nablus as well as other Palestinian cities in the north.
Besides, the National Welfare Hospital, working under the umbrella of several charitable organizations in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, had provided medicines worth SR645,000 for the treatment of victims in Hebron, he added.
