Cairo, July 22 (QNA) - The General Secretariat of the Arab League - Palestine and Occupied Arab Territories Sector has vigorously hit back at calls by Israeli settler organizations to conduct large-scale incursions into Al Aqsa Mosque on Thursday, Jul. 23, marking the so-called "Temple Destruction Anniversary".
In a statement on Wednesday, the General Secretariat said the calls mark a grave escalation, stressing that they constitute a serious breach of the historic and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque (Al-Haram Al-Sharif) and an affront to the sanctity of Islamic holy sites.
The statement said the calls, along with the measures and practices that may ensue under the protection of the Israeli occupation authorities, are an extension of systematic Israeli policies aimed at imposing unlawful realities in occupied Jerusalem.
It further stressed that these actions run roughshod over international law and relevant UN resolutions, holding Israel -the occupying power- fully responsible for the consequences of these violations and warning of their dangerous implications for security, stability, and prospects for peace.
The statement called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, the UN, and UNESCO, to uphold their legal responsibilities and take urgent, concrete measures to halt these violations.
It likewise demanded the protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque, preserve its historic and legal status quo, and respect the Hashemite Custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
In addition, the statement reaffirmed the Arab League's unflagging support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to establish an independent, sovereign state along the Jun. 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. (QNA)