Absence of Int'l Response Emboldens َم-Aqsa Violations
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Monday said the absence of an international response to repeated Israeli violations of the Aqsa Mosque served to encourage further escalations by Jewish settlers.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest site, has recently been the target of repeated violations by Jewish settlers, angering Palestinian Muslims.
On Monday, scores of Jewish settlers stormed the Aqsa Mosque compound in the holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).
In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry called on world governments, particularly those of the so-called "Quartet" (the US, EU, UN and Russia), to shoulder their responsibilities vis-à-vis the Palestinian people, the city of Al-Quds and the Aqsa Mosque.
The ministry called for taking "all steps necessary to halt Israeli aggression and bring criminals to account," urging the relevant legal and humanitarian organizations to bring whoever violates Al-Aqsa Mosque before an international court.
"The Foreign Ministry is fully prepared to cooperate with these organizations to fulfill this national obligation," it added.
According to the ministry statement, Israel is using Jewish holidays as justification to step up attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of efforts to "divide" the holy site.
The Foreign Ministry also condemned calls by the Jerusalem Municipality for a march on the mosque by extremist Jews and calls by a committee within the Knesset (Israel's parliament) to ascend the so-called "Temple Mount" on September 24.
It also denounced a call by Knesset member Moshe Feiglin to expel all Aqsa Mosque guards and employees.
East Jerusalem was seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War.
Palestinians accused Israel of waging a campaign to "Judaize" the holy city, which contains both Islamic and Christian religious sites, including the Aqsa Mosque.
While Israel says Jerusalem is its "united and eternal" capital, Palestinians insist that Al-Quds must be the capital of any future Palestinian state.
Source: World Bulletin
On Monday, scores of Jewish settlers stormed the Aqsa Mosque compound in the holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).
In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry called on world governments, particularly those of the so-called "Quartet" (the US, EU, UN and Russia), to shoulder their responsibilities vis-à-vis the Palestinian people, the city of Al-Quds and the Aqsa Mosque.
The ministry called for taking "all steps necessary to halt Israeli aggression and bring criminals to account," urging the relevant legal and humanitarian organizations to bring whoever violates Al-Aqsa Mosque before an international court.
"The Foreign Ministry is fully prepared to cooperate with these organizations to fulfill this national obligation," it added.
According to the ministry statement, Israel is using Jewish holidays as justification to step up attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of efforts to "divide" the holy site.
The Foreign Ministry also condemned calls by the Jerusalem Municipality for a march on the mosque by extremist Jews and calls by a committee within the Knesset (Israel's parliament) to ascend the so-called "Temple Mount" on September 24.
It also denounced a call by Knesset member Moshe Feiglin to expel all Aqsa Mosque guards and employees.
East Jerusalem was seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War.
Palestinians accused Israel of waging a campaign to "Judaize" the holy city, which contains both Islamic and Christian religious sites, including the Aqsa Mosque.
While Israel says Jerusalem is its "united and eternal" capital, Palestinians insist that Al-Quds must be the capital of any future Palestinian state.
Source: World Bulletin
