Arab League condemns Israeli escalation at holy sites, against Palestinians

The General Secretariat of the Arab League has strongly condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by an Israeli government official and a group of settlers under the protection of occupation forces. It reaffirmed its rejection of any violation of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and other Islamic holy sites, or any attempt to alter their historical and legal status. The statement also emphasized respect for the Hashemite custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

In a statement issued today, the General Secretariat also denounced the ongoing raids, incursions, and arrest campaigns in Palestinian cities and towns, highlighting the situation in Biddu, northwest of Jerusalem, where arrests, home searches, property damage, and assaults on residents have taken place. The statement stressed that these actions represent a dangerous escalation and a violation of international law and international humanitarian law.

The statement further rejected the closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim worshippers and the ban on the call to prayer, reiterating its opposition to any measures that restrict freedom of worship or seek to alter the status of holy sites. The Arab League called on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to assume its responsibilities, halt these violations, provide protection for the Palestinian people and their holy sites, and preserve the historical and legal status of Jerusalem, in order to prevent further escalation and achieve calm, stability, and a just and comprehensive peace.