Israel again proved its belligerence and lack of respect for Muslims
Israel’s illegal operations near the holy site were stepped up in recent weeks, with bulldozers demolishing wooden bridge, a hill and other archaeological sites under heavy presence by Israeli police and occupation forces who clashed with Palestinians on Friday.
And following the fierce confrontation between the Israeli forces and Palestinians at Al Aqsa mosque that was sparked by the Occupation forces’ attack on the holy site, Dr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, sent a letter to the President of the Security Council denouncing another Israeli crime and dangerous violation of its obligations under international law, international humanitarian law and relevant Security Council resolutions.
"Israeli occupying forces yet again proved their belligerence and lack of respect for Muslim Holy sites and the Palestinian people's right to worship by storming into the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound today during Friday prayers in Occupied East Beit-ul-Moqaddas," reads the letter sent to Mr. Burian.
"More than 300 Israeli occupying forces proceeded to fire rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowds of Palestinian civilians who were barred by Israeli occupying forces from entering Al-Haram Al-Sharif," Mansour said in the letter.
Earlier, Muin Shreim, Chargé d'affaires of the Palestine Permanent Observer to the United Nations, sent a letter to President of the UN Security Council also condemning Israel’s illegal actions, especially in Occupied East Beit-ul-Moqaddas, which he said are aimed at expanding the colonization and stepping up Judaization of Arab Beit-uk-Moqaddas, with the support of fanatic Jewish settler groups.
In his letter to H.E. Mr. Peter Burian, Shreim said Israel is continuing its campaign to Judaize Beit-ul-Moqaddas and create a new demographic composition in the Old City.
"Such actions demonstrate clearly the intransigence of the Israeli Government and its persistence in defying the will of the international community and in violating international law and United Nations resolutions," he said in the letter.
He called on the world body to take measures to confront these Israeli barbaric policies and actions, in a way that ensures respect for international law and prevent further deterioration of the security situation in the troubled Middle East region.
Israel’s attack on Palestinians at Al Aqsa yard yesterday left 50 Palestinians wounded. Israeli police also announced that 17 Muslim worshippers were detained as part of the raid.
Mohammed Hussein, the top Muslim cleric in Beit-ul-Moqaddas told Al Ayam newspaper that the attack by Israeli forces took place shortly after Muslim worshipers finished Friday prayers at the mosque.
" Muslim worshipper had barely finished their prayer when we heard the sound of firing stun grenades, tear gas canisters and rubber coated steel bullets towards the worshippers at the yards of Al Aqsa mosque then afterwards large troops stormed into yard, the worshippers run into the mosque to seek shield," Hussein said.
Also ambassadors of Islamic states of the Organization of Islamic Conference, to Republic of Bangladesh, issued an official condemnation of the Israeli actions on Saturday.
The ambassadors urged in their statement all international organizations to condemn this savage act against Islamic holy sites.
"Israel aims at creating a new demographic composition in the occupied city and to illegally change the status, demographic composition, and character of the Holy City," the statement said, calling for an immediate halt of such violations and stressing that the Palestinian Islamic Committee is the sole responsible of rehabilitating and reconstructing Al Aqsa mosque.
Israel’s violations and aggression against Palestinians and Muslims will carry on unless a strong and unified action is taken by the Muslim world leaders with the help of the United Nations. (Source: Aljazeera.com)