Al-Aqsa is the red line, warns OIC 

(MENAFN - Arab News) The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Sunday warned Israel that the Muslim world would no longer tolerate its aggressive practices against Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"Al-Aqsa represents the red line ... Causing any harm to this mosque will have dangerous consequences," it said.

The final communiqu, issued by a meeting of the executive committee of OIC foreign ministers here, also called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss Israeli violations in Al-Quds (Jerusalem).

The meeting, which was held at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah, supported the establishment of a Palestinian state on Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in 1967.

The OIC committee also called on the Security Council to prevent the building of Jewish settlements in Jerusalem and other occupied Arab territories on the basis of Resolution 446.

"Israeli measures aimed at changing the statuesque and demography of Jerusalem is a clear violation of international resolutions and charters," the communiqu said, urging the international community to pressure Israel to abide by international resolutions.

"Israel should not be allowed to make any geographical or demographic changes in Jerusalem, it should also lift the siege on the city and stop demolishing Palestinian homes and its policy of ethnic cleansing," it said.

The OIC meeting urged the general conference of UNESCO to issue a decision to halt Israeli actions to change the status quo of Jerusalem and historical monuments in the city.

The meeting set up a technical committee that includes OIC members and the Islamic Development Bank to study the present situation of Jerusalem in association with the Palestinian organizations. It also urged OIC members to contribute to the Al-Quds fund and the Bait Al-Mal of Al-Quds to finance preservation projects.

The communiqu called upon the Vatican and the Council of Eastern Churches to cooperate with the Islamic world to put an end to tribulations in Jerusalem and the misery of its people. It also welcomed the Goldstone report on Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

By Muhammad Humaidan