Jeddah, April 08 (QNA) - The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (LAS) and the African Union Commission (AUC) expressed its strong condemnation of a minister in the Israeli occupation government storming the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under the tight protection of the Israeli occupation forces, considering that this storming constitutes a provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world, a blatant assault on the sanctity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and a flagrant violation of relevant international resolutions and covenants.

In a joint statement, the three organisations also warned of the gravity of the Israeli occupation forces' continued closure of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslim worshippers for the fortieth consecutive day, as part of the escalation of violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in the occupied city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and attempts to compromise the existing historical and legal status there, which poses a serious threat to regional and international peace and stability.

The three organizations also affirmed that Israel, the occupying power, has no sovereignty over the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Al-Quds (Jerusalem), the capital of the State of Palestine, and its Islamic and Christian holy sites. It also reiterated its categorical rejection of all illegal Israeli decisions and measures aimed at changing the geographic and demographic status of the Holy City and its Arab, Islamic, and Christian character, undermining Palestinian sovereignty and Palestinian presence there, and attempts to isolate it from its Palestinian surroundings.

The joint statement called at the same time on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to assume its responsibilities to compel the Israeli occupation authorities to respect the right to freedom of worship and the sanctity of holy places, to immediately reopen the doors of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers, and to lift all restrictions imposed on Palestinian citizens' access to it. (QNA)