Abu Dhabi: The Muslim Council of Elders — an independent international body that aims to promote peace in Muslim societies — on Monday condemned Israel’s aggressions against Al Haram Al Sharif in Occupied Jerusalem and the Palestinian people, which it said jeopardises global peace.
Following an emergency meeting held in Abu Dhabi, the council called upon leaders of Arab and Islamic countries as well as all regional and international organisations to take firm measures to halt “Zionist terrorism” and stop the recurrence of provocative acts by the Israeli occupation forces against Al Aqsa Mosque — Islam’s third holiest shrine.
Dr Ahmad Al Tayyab, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, the top Sunni authority, convened a council in Abu Dhabi to discuss the issue and discuss ways to stop the brutal attacks by the Zionist occupation forces against the mosque and its worshippers.
The council reiterated that aggressions against the Palestinians and their holy shrines are acts of terrorism, criminalised by all international laws and conventions.
“This Israeli terrorism undermines global peace and can provoke a religious war,” the council warned in a statement.
It also called on the international community and UN organisations to impartially address the Palestinian issue and affirm the Palestinian people’s right to establishing their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Founded in 2014, the council aims to promote peace in Muslim communities, discourage infighting and address the sources of conflict, divisiveness and fragmentation in Muslim communities.
Meanwhile, the council rejected regional calls to stage demonstrations during the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
“Haj is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world. It is a demonstration of the solidarity and harmony of the Muslim people, and their submission to Almighty Allah and must not be used as a pretext to stage demonstration,” said Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, secretary general of the council.
The council stressed these calls were politically motivated by sectarian actors to undermine Haj and the best way to help is to support the Palestinian people instead of staging protests. The council said it will take part in the Al Azhar’s international conference on Occupied Jerusalem, scheduled to be held in Cairo in September.
“The Al Azhar conference is set to issue crucial resolutions on Jerusalem — the most pressing issue of the Muslim world,” the council said.
The dispute over security at the mosque compound in Occupied Jerusalem — where Israel installed metal detectors at entry points after two police guards were shot dead this month — has touched off the bloodiest clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in years.
On Friday however, the main prayer session at the Al Aqsa Mosque ended relatively calmly after Israel removed the tougher surveillance measures, though it barred entrance to men under age 50.
Israel captured and occupied East Jerusalem, including the Old City and the holy compound, in the 1967 War. It later annexed the area in a move that has never been recognised internationally.
The council had issued a statement on the first day of the Israeli violations condemning the unjust act and desecration of the sanctity of Occupied Jerusalem and Al Aqsa Mosque by the occupation forces. The statement referred to these brutal acts as part of systematic Zionist plans to Judaise Jerusalem and obliterate its Arabic and Islamic character.
The council called on UN bodies and organisations, including the UN Security Council and the International Quartet Committee, to shoulder their responsibilities. “UN organisations’ ignoring desecrations by Israel casts doubts on the neutrality of these organisations among Arabic and Islamic people,” the council said.
