Morocco decries Israeli provocative behavior

Morocco decried the "the provocative and unacceptable act" that led to the painful events in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds (Jerusalem).

The events took place at a time the world looks forward with hope to the resumption of the peace negotiations, the Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation department said in a release.

Morocco called the parties to show restraint in this crucial phase of the Middle-East peace process. Morocco also called on all the parties involved in the peace process to achieve the region's aspirations and avoid plunging the Middle-East back into violence and uncertainty, the release said.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque events show that a comprehensive peace is impossible unless all commitments are honored in accordance with the final declaration adopted by the Al-Quds Committee, during its latest meeting held last August 28 in Morocco under the chairmanship of King Mohammed VI, the release said.

At least 26 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier have been killed during the past four days. More than 700 Palestinians have been injured, many by rubber-coated bullets fired at rock-throwing demonstrators by Israeli security forces.

As the causalities mounted, the Arab League, which held an emergency meeting on Sunday, urged the U.N Security Council to conduct an international investigation into "crimes against the Palestinian people and bring the responsible Israelis before the International Criminal Court."

The clashes followed a visit last Thursday by Israel's hawkish opposition leader Ariel Sharon to a contested Jerusalem shrine. The site is known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Al Haram al-Sharif, or Noble Sanctuary.