RIYADH: The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned on Sunday the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremists and a member of the Israeli Knesset under the protection of Israeli police.
Dr. Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf’s condemnation comes as tens of thousands of flag-waving Israeli nationalists marched through the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday.
Many marchers sang and danced as they wound their way through the streets. Others sought confrontation, chanting “Death to Arabs.”
Al-Hajjraf said the new developments were a flagrant violation and a dangerous escalation.
He stressed the need for Israel to respect the historical, legal and religious situation in Jerusalem, and called on the international community to assume its responsibilities to preserve the safety of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.
The Secretary-General urged Israel to abide by its obligations as an occupying power in accordance with international humanitarian law.
The Arab League also condemned the march, with secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit saying the move constituted ‘a new violation of the status quo, and represented a major provocation to the feelings of the Arab and Islamic nations.’
The so-called ‘Flag March’ was aimed primarily at promoting Israel’s agenda and realizing the extreme right’s goals of abolishing all Palestinian presence in occupied East Jerusalem as well imposing restrictions on worshipers at the Al-Haram Al-Sharif, a statement said.
In a statement Kuwait condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque ‘by extremists under the protection of Israeli forces.’
“These flagrant violations, which provoke Muslims’ feelings and run counter to international law, portend repercussions on international and regional stability and security, and increase the opportunities of religious-based confrontations,” Kuwait’s foreign ministry said in the statement.
Kuwait also called on the UN Security Council act on the supposed violations and compel Israeli forces to respect international law, and provide protection to Palestinians as well.
Egypt also warned against the negative consequences of the incident, which could cause an escalation in tensions in Palestine.
Gulf and Arab condemnation as extremists, Israeli Knesset member storm Al-Aqsa Mosque
https://arab.news/b43qq
Gulf and Arab condemnation as extremists, Israeli Knesset member storm Al-Aqsa Mosque
- Al-Hajraf said the new developments were a flagrant violation and a dangerous escalation
- Tens of thousands of flag-waving Israeli nationalists marched through the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday
Thousands stage pro-Gaza rally in Istanbul
- Thousands joined a New Year’s Day rally for Gaza in Istanbul Thursday, waving Palestinian and Turkish flags and calling for an end to the violence in the tiny war-torn territory
ISTANBUL: Thousands joined a New Year’s Day rally for Gaza in Istanbul Thursday, waving Palestinian and Turkish flags and calling for an end to the violence in the tiny war-torn territory.
Demonstrators gathered in freezing temperatures under cloudless blue skies to march to the city’s Galata Bridge for a rally under the slogan: “We won’t remain silent, we won’t forget Palestine,” an AFP reporter at the scene said.
More than 400 civil society organizations were present at the rally, one of whose organizers was Bilal Erdogan, the youngest son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Police sources and Anadolou state news agency said some 500,000 people had joined the march at which there were speeches and a performance by Lebanese-born singer Maher Zain of his song “Free Palestine.”
“We are praying that 2026 will bring goodness for our entire nation and for the oppressed Palestinians,” said Erdogan, who chairs the board of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, an educational charity that was one of the organizers of the march.
Turkiye has been one of the most vocal critics of the war in Gaza and helped broker a recent ceasefire that halted the deadly war waged by Israel in response to Hamas’s unprecedented attack on October 7, 2023.
But the fragile October 10 ceasefire has not stopped the violence with more than more than 400 Palestinians killed since it took hold.
