Islamic concern about Israeli settlements effect on Jerusalem
The Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Conference expressed on Sunday "deep concern" over the deterioration of the situation in Jerusalem and in the occupied Palestinian territories.
OIC secretary-general, Azeddine Laraki said in a statement the situation is deteriorating in view of Israel's intensification of Jewish settlements in Jerusalem and actions to alter the Arab and Islamic identity of the holy city.
The 55-member organization drew the attention of the international community to Israeli practices seeking to modify the demographic and architectural nature of the city, citing the latest attempt to set fire to "Al-Ghawanma" gate of Al Azhar mosque, the excavations conducted in the city and the seizure of houses belonging to Palestinian families.
Laraki further castigated "Israel's persistence in its repeated aggressions against Palestinian citizens and their possessions and its refusal to abide by international will to safeguard the peace process. He said this attitude requires rapid action on the part of the Arab and Islamic nations and the whole international community in order to put an end to the violations of international laws and conventions, Map reported.
The OIC chief said the Palestinian people need the international community's backing in order to recover their inalienable rights, including their right to self-rule and to an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Moslem body is reacting to Israeli archaeological and settlement activities in East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
Last week the Palestine Liberation Organization protested to the United Nations over these actions.
On June 9, an Israeli ministry approved 58 more housing units for a Jewish seminary in the city.
Israel regards all of the holy city as its indivisible and eternal capital. Palestinians want it to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.
The final status of the city is to be determined in future Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
