Al-Aqsa Mosque - File photo
CAIRO - 28 July 2017: Arab foreign ministers on Thursday stressed their absolute rejection of any new practices imposed by Israel aiming to change the current status quo in the occupied Al-Quds, and Al-Aqsa Mosque as well as Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
The ministers made the remarks during an emergency meeting to discuss Israel's recent installation of metal detectors and surveillance cameras in front of Al-Aqsa Mosque's gates.
During the meeting, the Arab League Council strongly condemned the Israeli escalation in the occupied Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque as well as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, calling on Israel not to repeat the closure of it in the future and to halt all forms of escalation, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.
The council called on the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities to maintain peace and security, and implement its resolutions on Al-Quds, mainly 476, 478 and 2334.
It asked Israel to stop its continued policies and assaults on East Al-Quds, Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which are gross violations of international laws and resolutions.
The council urged all countries to execute all resolutions by the UN and UNESCO's Executive Board regarding the Palestinian Cause, noting that these resolutions stressed that Al-Aqsa and Al-Haram Al-Sharif are Islamic sites, and part and parcel of the global cultural heritage.
It extolled contacts and efforts by Jordan's King Abdullah II, the custodian and guardian of both Christian and Muslim sites in Al-Quds, aimed to end escalating measures by Israel.
The council also praised efforts by Saudi King Salman to protect Al-Aqsa and Al-Haram Al-Sharif, stressing its support for measures and steps taken by the Palestinian leadership for protecting Al-Aqsa and combating illegal measures taken by Israeli authorities.
It reaffirmed its backing to steadfastness of Palestinians in defending Al-Quds, and both Christian and Muslim sanctities, mainly Al-Aqsa Mosque, in the face of Israeli violations and assaults.
The conferees called on the US administration to continue its efforts so as to restore security and to end tensions, with the aim of protecting the sanctities, and respecting the current historical and legal status quo as well as canceling immediately all Israel's unilateral measures at both Al-Aqsa and Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
If the root causes of the crisis are not addressed, the situation may aggravate and explode, the conferees affirmed, referring to US President Donald Trump's commitments to working on resolving the conflict and achieving peace.
They stressed the need to cooperate in order to put an end to the political stalemate through launching effective and serious negotiations.
The council underlined the necessity of achieving peace based on the two-state solution to ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on June 4, 1967, with Al-Quds as its capital, in accordance with the international resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.
It called on member states to make use of their international relationships in protecting the occupied Al-Quds and all Christian and Islamic sanctities, including the blessed Al-Aqsa.
The council assigned the Arab Group in New York, Arab ambassadors and the Arab League's missions with taking immediate steps to uncover Israeli plots aiming to change Al-Aqsa's current historical and legal status quo.
It called for coordination and cooperation with the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to protect Al-Quds, Al-Aqsa and Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
It appealed to all Arab and Muslim countries, funds and organizations as well as civil society organizations to provide finance and execute development projects at Al-Quds, with the aim of saving the city and protecting its sanctities.
Furthermore, it condemned, in strong terms, the Israeli plans and policies aiming to Judaize Al-Quds, distort its Islamic and Arab nature, change population structure, impose Israel's sovereignty over the city and close the Palestinian institutions there. It finally warned against the Israeli escalation in the city, describing it as "unprecedented", indicating that this will have dangerous repercussions on the future of peace in the region, and threats international peace and security.
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