CAIRO — The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmad Aboul Gheit condemned in the strongest terms the storming of Israeli occupation forces into Al-Aqsa Mosque areas on Friday evening and the targeting of unarmed Palestinians with sound, gas and rubber bullets.
In a statement, Aboul Gheit stressed that such attack provokes all Muslims around the world, and shows a deliberate Israeli policy to escalate the situation there.
The Arab League chief warned of the consequences of inflaming the situation, stressing that the Israeli escalation comes in the wake of a series of provocations and irresponsible actions against the Palestinian people, which requires urgent international action to stop the attacks that may cause further escalation of the situation in the occupied territories.
He added that Israeli occupation forces’ timing of this action, including the sanctity it entails for Muslims, reflects a deliberate intention to provoke the Palestinians as well as a refusal to accept Muslims’ feelings in during these days of the holy month of Ramadan
Meanwhile, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf condemned on Friday the ongoing construction of Israeli settlements and evacuations of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem by Israeli forces.
In a press statement Dr. Hajraf emphasized the seriousness of Israel’s action, by creating major obstacles to reach peace in the region, as it continues to violate the principles of international law, and shows disregard to international efforts.
Al-Hajraf called on the international community to pressure Israeli forces do stop settlements construction and displacement of Palestinians.
He also stressed the firm position of the GCC in supporting Palestinians and their legitimate right to establish their independent state according to the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative within the framework of the international laws.
Earlier, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Friday that the aftermath of earlier clashes that took place in Al-Aqsa Mosque after it was stormed by Israeli occupation forces and in Bab Al-Amud Square and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhoods, resulted in the injury of about 200 Palestinians, two critically.
The Society said, in a statement that 83 injuries were transferred to hospitals in the city of Jerusalem, and the other had been treated on the field.
The agency added that a large number of injuries were to the face, eyes and chest, noting that it had set up a field hospital in Jerusalem due to the high number of injuries and the inability of emergency rooms in Arab hospitals to receive more wounded.
For its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that medical teams at Al-Maqasid Hospital in Jerusalem dealt with 83 Palestinians injuries.
The ministry added in a separate statement that two were hit in the head and they were in serious condition, and three were in the eye, one of whom one lost his eye, and the other two suffered a fractured jaw while other injuries were minor.
Earlier, hundreds of Israeli soldiers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque after the end of the sunset prayer, and fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound and gas bombs at the worshipers. — Agencies