OIC to hold emergency meeting on Monday over Israeli aggression - Saifuddin

KUANTAN: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold an emergency meeting of the Executive Committee, to discuss issues involving recent Israeli atrocities against Palestinian Muslims at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, on Monday (April 25), said Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

He said Malaysia will be represented by the Malaysian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Datuk Abd Razak Abdul Wahab, in the meeting which will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

"The first message we want to convey is for them to put an end to what is happening; secondly, we urge the OIC countries and the international community to label Israel as an apartheid state.

"We are deeply saddened and regret the Israeli atrocities, and their outrageous treatment of the Palestinian community continuously since last Friday (April 15)," he said in a press conference at the Iftar and get together with persons with disabilities (PwDs) community programme for the Indera Mahkota parliamentary constituency, here today.

Last Saturday, Malaysia strongly condemned the Israeli military's attack on civilians and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Saifuddin added that he had written official letters to the secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), the OIC secretary-general, the United States Secretary of State and the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, to seek help in stopping Israeli terrorism.

"I have also contacted the foreign ministers of several countries who we hope can help immediately to stop Israel's oppressive actions against Muslims, who only want to worship at the Al-Aqsa Mosque," he said.

Saifuddin said he had also contacted Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki, and Hamas Political Bureau Chief, Ismail Haniyeh, last Sunday by teleconference, and conveyed Malaysia's solidarity to Palestine which was highly welcomed by both of them.

Meanwhile, in another development, he said that the remains of Husna Solehah Mohd Salleh, 21, a dental student of Alexandria University of Egypt, were laid to rest at the Malaysian Cemetery in Cairo today.

The third-year student from Kelantan was previously admitted to Elite Hospital, Alexandria on April 7 and underwent treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to tuberculosis, before she died at 8 pm yesterday.

Apart from that, Saifuddin, who is also the Indera Mahkota Member of Parliament, said that his parliamentary office would set up a PwD unit and a group of sign language volunteers next month, with the aim of helping the PwD community obtain the necessary assistance.

Earlier, at the event, Saifuddin also presented donations to 50 disabled people to help them prepare for the Aidilfitri celebration.

-- BERNAMA