ISRAELI GRIP ON AL AQSA VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS by Fardah

Jakarta, July 19, 2017 (Antara) - Indonesian Muslims are very concerned about the situation in Al Aqsa Mosque, following a recent closure and ongoing stricter control of the third Islamic holiest mosque by occupying Israeli forces.

        Besides, radical Jewish settlers, under the protection of heavily armed Israeli forces, often break into the premises, and the forces often blocked Muslim worshipers from praying, in order to pave the way for the Jews.

     

        "Israel will again be condemned by international world, particularly Muslim-majority nations as what they have done has made Muslims angry," he stated.

       Another Indonesian lawmaker, Rofi' Munawar, also voiced a similar condemnation.

      The measures were extreme violations of human rights, Munawar, deputy chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Board (BKSAP) of the House of Representatives (DPR), noted in a press statement on July 17.

       "Israel must revoke the policy that clearly violates religious and sovereignty norms. This is not the first time. They had also restricted Muslim worshipers from praying in Al-Aqsa during Ramadan fasting month," he stated.

       Israel has frequently violated UN resolutions and has never been imposed any sanctions, he added.

         Meanwhile, Al Jazeera on Monday reported that Al-Aqsa Mosque officials have rejected new security measures put in place by Israel as it reopened the holy site following a deadly gun battle that prompted a two-day closure.

         Muslim religious authorities, who oversee the compound, have refused to pray there  after Israeli authorities installed metal detectors and additional closed-circuit television cameras.

         "The closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the occupation in itself, and the prevention of the call for prayers are all unfair and unjust and constitute a violation of the United Nations resolutions and the international agreements," Omar Kiswani, director of the al-Aqsa Mosque, told reporters outside the site.

          "We hold the Israeli government responsible for the changes they have made in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and taking its control away from us. We will stay outside the mosque until we get it back the way it was taken from us," he was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

          Last May 2, the UN Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) passed a resolution calling Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem "null and void," and called on Israel to cancel any "legislative and administrative measures and actions" taken to "alter the character and status" of the city.

         Calling Israel the "occupying power," the resolution demanded that Israel halt "persistent excavations, tunneling, works, and projects in East Jerusalem."
   The city's Al-Aqsa mosque compound has long been the target of Israeli extremist groups whose declared aim was to destroy the existing Muslim holy sites and replace them with a Jewish temple, under the guise of "archaeological" excavations.

       The latest policy issued by UNESCO reaffirmed the absence of Israeli sovereignty over Al-Quds (Jerusalem).

        However, Israel does not comply with policies issued by the United Nations.

        The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the international community and the Arab and Islamic world to quickly assume their responsibilities to save the holy Al Aqsa Mosque.

        Indonesia, a staunch support for Palestine's independence and self-determination, hosted the Fifth Extraordinary OIC Summit on Palestine and Al Quds Al Sharif (Jerusalem), in Jakarta, on March 7, 2014.

         At the conclusion of the summit, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)  issued 23-point Jakarta Declaration that called for a boycott of products produced in or by illegal Israel settlements to pressure the Israeli Zionist regime to end its occupation of Palestinian land.

       "Calling on the international community to support the boycott of products produced in or by illegal Israel settlements," the OIC said in the 16th point of Jakarta Declaration.

         In the meantime, the Indonesian government has named Palestine as one of the priority countries to receive capacity building assistance programs for developing nations as part of its commitment to promoting South-South Cooperation.

         "I am delighted to convince you that various best practices and technical assistance from Indonesia to Palestine have been and will always be part of the Indonesian commitment. I affirm that Palestine is one of Indonesia's priorities," Director of Technical Cooperation at the Indonesian Finance Ministry Mohammad Syarif Alatas stated.

          He made the remarks while addressing the International Training on Infrastructure for Palestinians organized by the Indonesian government on July 2-14, 2017. As many as 14 Palestinian civil servants took part in the training. ***2***
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 19-07-2017