ISLAMABAD – After an Israeli raid on the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, Pakistan urged the international community to take “immediate action” to put an end to Israel’s hostilities.
Last week, Israeli soldiers increased the frequency of their raids on the occupied East Jerusalem complex housing the Al-Aqsa mosque. Police attacked the mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City early on Wednesday, firing stun grenades at Palestinian youngsters.
The raids, which occurred as Jews were getting ready to start the Passover celebration on Wednesday night and Muslims were marking the holy month of Ramadan, brought condemnations from Pakistan, and other major Muslim countries and sparked worries of a larger conflagration.
At a weekly press briefing, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, said, “Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the savage attack by Israeli occupation troops beating Palestinian pilgrims in the prayer hall at Al Aqsa Mosque.”
“In recent years, Israel has repeatedly engaged in such rash behaviour during the holy month of Ramadan, which not only infringes upon the Palestinian people’s right to freedom of religion but also offends Muslims all over the globe.”
In order to fulfil its obligation, Baloch urged the international community to “immediately act to halt such heinous acts of violence against defenceless and innocent civilians.”
Meanwhile President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi also strongly condemned an attack on Palestinian worshippers inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli forces, terming it ‘the height of barbarity’.
In a tweet, he said “Regrettably, Israel had no regard for any norms of humanity including the sanctity of religious places.”
“We see the height of barbarity to attack worshippers in a vicious manner during the holy month of Ramzan. The international community must condemn this brutal and inhumane act against peaceful worshippers.”
