Politics
19:43, 15-Jul-2017
OIC slams Israel's closure of al-Aqsa Mosque as crime
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The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday slammed Israel's closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque as a crime against Muslims.
OIC Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen condemned the Israeli move, the first time since 1969, as "a crime, a serious precedent and a blatant attack on the holy sites and an attack on the rights and freedom of Palestinians to practice their religious rites," the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted him as saying.
Israel closed the mosque compound and banned prayers in the wake of Friday's shootout near the holy site, in which three Israeli Arabs opened fire at Israeli police officers.
Two Israeli police officers were killed, along with the three gunmen. The incident led to Israel beefing up already-stringent security measures around the Old City, closing down the place of worship and barring mosque-goers from attending Friday prayers.
Al-Othaimeen also warned of the Israel's attempts to impose new facts inside al-Aqsa Mosque.
He called on the international community to act immediately to deter repeated Israeli attacks against Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem and to stop Israel's racist violations and crimes against the Palestinian people and their holy sites.
The religious compound, holy to both Muslims and Jews, is one of the most sensitive and contested sites in the region. It is revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, and by Jews as the Temple Mount.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday spoke over the phone with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, assuring him Israel will keep the status quo in East Jerusalem's holy compound.
(Source: Xinhua)
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