The Arab League Council Condemns Israeli Violations in Jerusalem and Calls for Urgent International Action

SadaNews - The Arab League Council held an extraordinary session at the level of permanent representatives on Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat, chaired by the Kingdom of Bahrain, based on a request from the State of Palestine and the support of member states, to discuss ways to confront the ongoing Israeli violations in the occupied city of Jerusalem.

The meeting discussed mechanisms for Arab and international action to confront what it described as "systematic crimes and violations" committed by the Israeli occupation authorities against Islamic and Christian sanctities, including restricting the freedom of worship and closing Al-Aqsa Mosque for more than 33 days, in addition to obstructing worshippers' access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the council reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian issue, reiterating its commitment to the Arab identity of Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine, and calling on the international community to compel Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories since 1967, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the principle of a two-state solution.

The council strongly condemned the Israeli measures, particularly the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, considering it a flagrant violation of international law and the existing historical status, and a provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world.

It also warned of the repercussions of the siege imposed on the Old City of Jerusalem, the increasing incursions of settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the accompanying policies aimed at imposing a new reality in the city, including Judaization, demographic change, and forced displacement.

In this context, the council condemned the measures targeting the Christian presence in Jerusalem, especially the restrictions on access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, considering it a violation of international agreements and freedom of worship.

The council expressed its outright rejection of what it termed the "racist law" approved by the Israeli Knesset regarding the execution of Palestinian prisoners, deeming it a serious violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, and entrenching a system of racial discrimination.

It called on the international community, particularly the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, to urgently intervene to stop and abolish this law, and to work on protecting Palestinian prisoners and ensuring their human rights.

The council called for intensifying Arab, Islamic, and international action at various political, legal, and diplomatic levels to pressure Israel to stop its violations in Jerusalem.

It also urged the International Criminal Court to open an urgent investigation into violations related to the law on the execution of prisoners, and to hold Israeli officials accountable, while requesting the International Committee of the Red Cross to increase its intervention to monitor the conditions of prisoners within prisons.

The council emphasized the importance of the Hashemite guardianship over the sanctities in Jerusalem and its role in protecting the Arab and Islamic identity of the city, as well as reaffirming its rejection of any attempts to undermine the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), calling for its political and financial support.

At the end of the statement, the council entrusted the General Secretariat of the league to act to convey the content of the resolution to various capitals and international organizations and to follow up on the implementation of what is included, with a report to be submitted in the next session.