The Cabinet condemned the escalation of racist attacks against Palestinian civilians and provocative steps by Israeli politicians towards Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound and denounced the use of nine-year-old Mustafa Wahdan as a human shield by Israeli soldiers during clashes near Ramallah. It said that such actions “violate international conventions and laws as well as violate Palestinians’ rights and lives.” It held the Israeli government responsible for the growing tension and provocation of religious sentiments because of these attacks against Islamic holy sites. The Cabinet equally condemned the announcement by the Israeli Ministry of Transportation on the allocation of separate buses for Palestinian citizens, a step that the Cabinet considered to be in line with the growing trends of racism against Palestinians. It affirmed that the government will continue its intensive discussions and consultations to prepare a draft budget law for 2013 and decided to provide an amount of one million dollars a month in assistance to Palestinian refugees in camps in Syria. --SPA 13:29 LOCAL TIME 10:29 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1084891