INDONESIA SHOULD APPEAL TO UN OVER ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST AQSA by Fardah

Jakarta, Nov 13, 2014 (Antara) - Israeli police clashed with Palestinians last week at the entrance to al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third most sacred place, after what Palestinians termed an "illegal storming of the mosque" by Israeli extremists who were protected by some 300 Israeli security forces, Today's Zaman reported.        The incident is just one in a series of actions, incidents of violence and violations committed by Israeli forces and Jewish lunatics towards the compound of Al Aqsa, the second mosque built on Earth and the first Qibla (direction for prayers) of Muslims.         The violence and violations have elicited condemnations from leaders of Muslim majority countries such as Jordan and Turkey, as well as the Indonesian public.         Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to take action against Israel concerning clashes at the eighth century al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, an official said on Wednesday (Nov 12).          Erdogan made the comment during a telephone conversation with Iyad bin Amin Madani, the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the state-run Anadolu news agency reported, citing Presidency sources.          Earlier, Jordan had appealed to the United Nations Security Council regarding the violent attacks carried out by Israeli security forces on November 5 at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.         Jordan requested that legal action be taken to prevent further attacks, Petra news agency reported.      Jordan has urged the UNSC to sue Israel for the attacks it launched that led to the fire at the mosque, the destruction of the mosaics in its ceiling, as well as damage to the tapestry in the Haram al-Sharif cluster where Al Aqsa is located.         Jordan's King Abdullah, who is the official custodian of the sacred compound, was furious and recalled his ambassador to Israel as a protest against Israel which recently closed the compound totally.          In Jakarta, the Israeli violations at the Al Aqsa Mosque were strongly condemned by  the Indonesian Regional Representative Council's (DPD's) Deputy Chairman, Farouk Muhammad.          The senator urged President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to take up the case at the United Nations (UN).           The DPD has requested President Jokowi to intensify political diplomacy at the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to end the gross human right violations committed by Israeli security forces against Palestinians, he emphasized.         "The Palestinian crisis, which has been going on for tens of years and is mainly a political issue, has expanded to become an interfaith issue as well," he pointed out.           The senator revealed that the DPD had planned to send a written statement regarding the Al-Aqsa violation case to President Jokowi, and also, mostly likely to the UN representative's office in Jakarta.         Farouk Muhammad considered the total closure of Al-Aqsa and the restrictions imposed on Muslims, not letting them access the mosque, as an open act of provocation and discrimination against Muslim worshippers.           The DPD has urged the UNSC to take concrete actions against Israel and to impose sanctions against it for violating the human rights of the Palestinian people.          A similar appeal was voiced by the Indonesian Association of Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI) which urged the Indonesian government to immediately appeal to the UN to take legal action and also protested against the Israeli aggression towards Al-Aqsa Mosque.        "The Israeli aggression violates international law, as well as the Indonesian constitution, regarding freedom of religion," a presidium member of the ICMI, Prof. Nanat Fatah Natsir, stated recently.         According to Natsir, everyone must respect places of religious significance, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the third holiest place for Muslims after Masjidil Haram in Mecca and Nabawi Mosque in Madinah.         Another call was voiced by Chairman of International Relationship and Cooperation Commission of the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI), Saleh Partaonan Daulay.          "As the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia must be active to take concrete and real steps to stop this violation. Our constitution also mandates Indonesia to actively ensure world peace," Saleh stated recently.          He reiterated that Israel's aggression has gone beyond limits. He considered Israel's actions as not just provocation but categorized it as a blatant attack on one of the most holy places for Muslims.          "If the aggression is permitted, it will threaten world peace, especially in the Middle East region. It will very likely impact other countries," Saleh pointed out.           The Chairman of Indonesia's largest Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Slamet Effendy Yusuf, supported Jordan's moves, and urged the Indonesian government to follow suit.          The Israeli aggression against Al Aqsa was very brutal and violated the human rights of religious freedom, particularly of the Muslims wanting to pray in the mosque.          Among the restrictions imposed by the Israeli Zionist regime on Palestinian Muslims visiting Al-Aqsa so far, were barring the entry of all men aged 50 and below.           Furthermore, women and children were arbitrarily denied entry into Al-Aqsa on a regular basis, which significantly violated the religious freedom of Palestinians.      He regretted the fact that the UN Security Council was silent while watching the Israeli brutality.           "We should condemn the UNSC and demand that the UN must take concrete action to sanction Israel for the violations," he said.           Slamet Effendy Yusuf also urged President Jokowi to voice Indonesia's stance regarding the Al-Aqsa violation case at various international fora such as the APEC, the ASEAN Summit and G20.           Jokowi, as the president of the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, could not stay silent and ignore the issue, he added.          He also reminded Jokowi of his promise to help free Palestine from the occupation of the Israeli Zionist regime.      The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest mosque in Islam after Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and Nabawi Mosque in Medina.         Tensions have lately escalated in occupied Jerusalem as Israeli authorities gave Jewish settlers the go-ahead to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque while continuing to ban Muslims from accessing it.           The Palestinians are rightly concerned since the illegal settler groups, who come to Al-Aqsa, openly declare their intentions to occupy Al-Aqsa, demolish its structure, and build a Jewish temple in its place.           Earlier, the Indonesian foreign affairs ministry issued a statement condemning Israel for closing the Al-Aqsa Mosque.           "Indonesia strongly condemns Israel's move to bar access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. We demand that Israel immediately reopen the mosque," the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry remarked.      The government has called the Israeli move a violation of human rights, particularly the religious freedom of all Muslims in Jerusalem, Palestine.     Speaking on the sidelines of the East Asian Summit (EAS) in Nay Pyi Taw, on Nov 13, 2014, President Jokowi expressed his hope that the UN could play a more concrete role in helping Palestine become a sovereign state.          "We conveyed that we fully support Palestine's independence, and we hope the UN will play a more concrete role," President Jokowi stated following a 30-minute meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.   ***1*** (f001/INE)   EDITED BY INE (T.F001/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 13-11-2014 21:48:43