ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top politicians on Thursday condemned Israel for closing the Al-Aqsa mosque’s compound to Palestinians and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations to take stock of the situation, reasoning that the move violated religious freedom and basic human rights.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces prevented Al-Aqsa mosque’s leader’s call for prayer and attacked Palestinians who had gathered outside “Bab Al-Asbat” to pray. Bab Al- Asbat is one of the main gates of the compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, which houses Al-Aqsa — the third holiest site in Islam.
“We strongly condemn Israeli aggression against innocent Palestinians and the forceful closure of Al-Aqsa mosque’s compound. This is inhuman and a clear violation of the UN charter for freedom of religion,” Omar Cheema, the ruling party’s secretary-information, told Arab News.
He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the government would raise the issue at all appropriate forums to “expose the atrocities of Israelis against Palestinians” who have been struggling against the Israeli occupation.
“We stand by our Palestinian brothers and urge the UN and other so-called champions of human rights to take notice of the closure of the mosque – a sacred place which is close to the heart of every Muslim,” he said.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem — where the mosque is located — during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move which was never recognized by the international community. Since then, Israeli forces have been trying to prevent Palestinians from offering their prayers at the mosque.
Things took a turn for the worse when on Tuesday some Palestinians — who had gathered to pray outside the compound — were attacked by the Israelis who pushed them out before closing the gates, alleging that they had set fire to a police station inside the compound. Earlier on Saturday, an Israeli police officer was filmed entering the mosque while refusing to take off his boots.
Chief of Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) Senator, Siraj-ul-Haq said that the OIC should call an emergency meeting over the situation and send a “unanimous message” to Israel from all Muslim countries over the closure of the mosque.
“Israel has been doing all this against Palestinians with tacit support of some major countries of the world, but we warn them all to back off for the sake of peace,” he told Arab News.
He added that the JeI would also contact its members across the word to raise the issue of Israeli aggression against Palestinians at all international forums. “Israel is an illegitimate state in the Middle East and we won’t allow it regulate our religious rituals and worship places like Al-Aqsa mosque,” he said.
The recent closure of the mosque has also sparked a social media frenzy as people across the globe took to the micro-blogging websites to vent out their anger against the Israeli forces. #KickOutTheIsraeliAmbassador was the top trending hashtag on Wednesday morning in the Middle East.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senator Mushahidullah Khan said that the Israeli occupation of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian territory reflected the failure of the UN and other global bodies which are mandated to ensure peace by resolving the conflicts.
“Israel-Palestine conflict has become a flashpoint in the heart of the Middle East which can put peace of the whole region at stake anytime,” he told Arab News. “The forceful closure of Al-Aqsa mosque is one example of it and Israel is virtually calling for the wrath of the Muslim world by resorting to such silly tactics.”