OIC condemns Israeli continuous attacks on Al-Aqsa

KUALA LUMPUR: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Executive Committee emergency meeting on Tuesday condemned the continuous Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and called for mobilising efforts to protect Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

OIC in a statement said the meeting was held at its headquarters in Jeddah in coordination with Saudi Arabia, the chair of the Islamic Summit and the Executive Committee, upon the request of Palestine and Jordan.

According to the statement, OIC Secretary-General, Hissein Ibrahim Taha, affirmed that the Israeli attacks against Al-Aqsa Mosque are an offence against the feelings and beliefs of Muslims around the world, as well as a flagrant violation of international law and United Nation resolutions.

In his speech at the meeting, he said that these attacks will fuel violence and tension and destabilise security and stability in the region.

"The Secretary-General called for a responsible international action that compels Israel to stop these serious violations in order to preserve the existing historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque as a place of worship for Muslims alone," the statement read.

Taha explained that he held contacts with international actors through which he conveyed the OIC position in this regard.

These contacts included the United Nations and the European Union in order to urge them to exert pressure on Israel to stop its serious violations against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, added the statement.

The meeting was held following the visit of Israel's new National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex on Jan 3, a day after announcing he postponed the visit amid warnings of unrest.

The far-right Israeli minister visited the flashpoint site under Israeli police protection, triggering a storm of condemnations from countries across the world, including Jordan, Turkiye, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

United Nations Security Council members on Jan 5 voiced concern and stressed the need to maintain a status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound which allows only Muslim worship at the compound.

-- BERNAMA