Islamic bloc condemns 'illegality and illegitimacy' of Israeli plans in Palestinian city of Hebron.
UNITED NATIONS - The Islamic bloc at the United Nations on Thursday called for international action to force Israel to rescind its decision to renovate two contested holy sites in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank.
The Israeli move is seen as an attempt to retain illegal Israeli control of holy sites in the Palestinian territories.
Syria's UN Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) UN ambassadors, condemned the "illegality and illegitimacy" of the Israeli decision which is "null and void."
They called on all relevant UN bodies "to take urgent, necessary measures to force Israel to rescind this decision" and urged the Security Council, the General Assembly and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to "shoulder their responsibility."
The Obama administration Thursday criticized Israel's "provocative" plans in the two holy sites.
Hardline Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem would be included in a heritage restoration plan.
The decision infuriated Palestinians, with senior officials in the West Bank saying it could prevent the resumption of peace talks and the democratically elected Hamas in Gaza calling on Palestinians to "rise up" for a third Intifada against Israeli occupation.
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on Tuesday denounced Israeli "provocation" over the two holy sites that could unleash a "religious war".
The Hebron site, revered by Jews and Muslims as the burial place of the biblical patriarch Abraham, has frequently been the scene of violent tensions.
A few hundred extremist Jewish settlers live under heavy Israeli occupation military protection near the site in the heart of the Palestinian town of 160,000.
Israelis worship in a part of the Ibrahimi mosque above the tomb which has been converted into a synagogue.
The mosque was the site of the infamous 1994 shooting massacre of 29 Palestinian worshipers by the US-born Jewish extremist Baruch Goldstein.
Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=37508.
An Open Letter to Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan
9 years ago
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.