The Organization of the Islamic Conference Saturday accused Israeli police of sacrilege by entering Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque and called for international intervention to "end Israeli aggression."
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the Jeddah-based pan-Islamic body, said in a statement that Friday's fighting
between Muslims and Israeli police at the Temple Mount compound in east Jerusalem, which injured dozens, was "a sacrilegious act of profanation of the holy Islamic site."
| Temple Mount Clashes |
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| Abbas: Israel crossed red lines in J'lem / Ali Waked |
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Palestinian president's office issues special statement following Temple Mount clashes, says Friday's events 'aimed at damaging the chances to resume the peace process.' PA calls on US to intervene in order to 'stop the adventure which may spark a religious war in the region.' Syria condemns 'desecration of Arab and Islamic sanctities' |
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The police action was "a violation of international law and a flagrant attack on the freedom of religion of the nature that could take the region into a war between religions," he said in the statement.
Ihsanoglu called on the international community and the Quartet on Middle East peace -- the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations -- to "pay heed to the gravity of the Israeli violations and the threat they pose to the region now and in the future."
He called for "an international intervention effective at every level to end Israeli aggressions and make Israel
respect international law."
On Friday, Gabon's UN Ambassador Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet, president of the Security Council for March, said,
"The members of the Security Council expressed their concern at the current tense situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including east Jerusalem.
"They urged all sides to show restraint and avoid provocative acts," he said after a closed-door meeting. "They stressed that peaceful dialogue was the only way forward and looked forward to an early resumption of negotiations," he said.
Reuters contributed to the report
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