OIC denounces Israeli burning of al-Aqsa mosque 30 years ago

The Organization of the Islamic Conference has denounced Israel for continuing its aggressive policy in the occupied Arab territories. It urged the international community to seriously move to force Israel to abide by international resolutions and to resume the peace process from the point from which it broke off.

In a statement released on Saturday from its headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on the 30th anniversary of the burning of al-Aqsa mosque, the OIC said this anniversary is marked by Israel still creating obstacles to prevent attaining any progress in the peace process and continuing to violate Islamic and Christian holy sites as well as to institute illegal measures in occupied Jerusalem in order to change its historical, demographic and geographic conditions with the objective of Judaizing it and eliminating its Arab and Islamic characteristics.

The OIC stressed that Israel's illegal practices are in flagrant contradiction to all charters and treaties approved by the international community and in contradiction to the spirit of the peace process. The organization reiterated its call to the Middle East peace process cosponsors to shoulder their full responsibility and to act immediately in order to force Israel to stop illegal and inhumane practices against the Palestinian people and to abide by international legitimacy resolutions.

Meanwhile, OIC Assistant Secretary General Abdul Aziz Ghoshe stressed that Israel has been holding international conferences in the city of Jerusalem and thereby violating rules and norms because the city of Jerusalem is an occupied city.

He added that the Israeli occupation authorities are now planning to a host a conference for the International Federation of Libraries, a fact which violates the UN resolutions and the 4th Geneva Convention.

He added that the OIC is exerting serious efforts to prevent holding the conference in Jerusalem. He added that he had asked the present library conference in Bangkok to create pressure to move the forthcoming conference out of Jerusalem, otherwise the OIC will boycott the meeting.