The Arab League condemned on Monday what is described as violations against Palestinians by Israeli security forces, according to a statement. It called upon about the international committee and the UN to intervene to force Israel stop its acts of changing the status quo in Jerusalem
The organisation denounced attacks on Muslim and Christian holy places, and the continuous settlement projects the Israeli government is pursuing, as well as demolishing houses of Palestinian civilians and forceful displacing families.
The statement added that although the several international agreements which acknowledges the status of Jerusalem as an occupied city, and Al-Aqsa mosque is a area where Muslim worshipers have access to.
The statement cited the latest controversial decisions of installing security cameras and gates at the entrances of Al-Aqsa mosque that lead to bloody confrontations between worshipers and Israeli forces.” These are actions by the radical right wing Israeli government which is a sign of a racist strategy to fuel a war of religions.”
Last July, Israeli forces ordered the closure of the areas surrounding Al-Aqasa Mosque after three Palestinian gunmen opened fire and shot dead two Israeli policemen. Clashes continued for a week. Days after, Israeli forces re-opened the mosque, but the worshipers, as well as the Palestinian authorities, rejected the electronic gates. As an act of protest, several Palestinians performed the prayers outside the mosque. The dispute ended after Israel removed the gates.
During a former meeting in the Arab League, Arab foreign ministers asserted the importance of cooperation between the League of Arab States and the Islamic Cooperation Organisation to preserving Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, calling on Muslim states and organisations to fund and implement development projects in vital sectors in Jerusalem and increase the amount of money of Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem to $400m.
In a different context, the Arab League welcomed on Monday, the trilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Palestine that took place in Cairo on Saturday.
