GCC condemns settlers’ arson attack on mosque in Kur, Tulkarm, blames Israeli authorities

Jasem Mohammed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, strongly condemned the crime committed by settlers who set fire to a mosque in the village of Kur in Tulkarm Governorate and scrawled racist slogans on its walls. He described the attack as a grave assault targeting places of worship and Islamic holy sites, a blatant violation of international law and humanitarian law, and a provocation to Muslims worldwide.

In an official statement issued today, Albudaiwi said this heinous crime is part of a continuous series of violations and assaults targeting the Palestinian people and their holy sites. He held Israeli occupation forces fully responsible for this crime and the recurring attacks, citing ongoing policies of protection and disregard for settlers’ actions, which encourage impunity and accountability evasion, leading to dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region.

The Secretary-General stressed that targeting and attacking places of worship constitutes a flagrant violation of the sanctity of holy sites and a serious breach of all human values and international conventions that guarantee the protection of religious sites and the freedom of worship.

Albudaiwi called on the international community, the UN Security Council, and human rights and humanitarian organizations to fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities, take urgent action to stop these serious violations, hold perpetrators accountable, and provide international protection for the Palestinian people and their holy sites. He emphasized that continued international silence over these crimes encourages their recurrence and undermines prospects for security and peace in the region.

The Secretary-General reaffirmed the GCC’s firm and supportive position for the Palestinian people and the establishment of an independent state along 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.

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