OIC HEAD VISITS AL-AQSA MOSQUE

Al-Quds, 15 Rabiul Awwal 1436/6 January 2015 (MINA) – The head of the world’s largest Islamic organization has paid a visit to the al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem al-Quds, urging Muslims to support Palestinian rights at the holy site.

Iyad Madani, the secretary-general of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) visited the mosque on Monday, Press Tv quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“Coming to the mosque is a right for me as well as every Muslim,” Madani said, adding, “It is our right to come here and to pray here. No occupation authority should take this right from us.”

Late in 2014, the al-Aqsa Mosque was the scene of clashes between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli settlers and troops.

Palestinians are extremely angry at the Israeli regime’s raids on the mosque considering them the desecration of the holy Islamic site. Palestinians argue that al-Quds is the capital of a future Palestinian state, and that its heritage should remain intact.

Israel has tried over the past decades to change the demographic makeup of al-Quds by constructing illegal settlements, destroying historical sites, and expelling the local Palestinian population.

The al-Aqsa compound, which lies in the Israeli-occupied Old City of al-Quds, is a flashpoint. The location of the compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is the holiest site in Judaism. The mosque is Islam’s third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has encouraged Muslims to visit al-Quds in solidarity with the Palestinians.

Iyad Madani, the secretary-general of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) visited the mosque on Monday.

“Coming to the mosque is a right for me as well as every Muslim,” Madani said, adding, “It is our right to come here and to pray here. No occupation authority should take this right from us.”

Late in 2014, the al-Aqsa Mosque was the scene of clashes between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli settlers and troops.

Palestinians are extremely angry at the Israeli regime’s raids on the mosque considering them the desecration of the holy Islamic site. Palestinians argue that al-Quds is the capital of a future Palestinian state, and that its heritage should remain intact.

Israel has tried over the past decades to change the demographic makeup of al-Quds by constructing illegal settlements, destroying historical sites, and expelling the local Palestinian population.

The al-Aqsa compound, which lies in the Israeli-occupied Old City of al-Quds, is a flashpoint. The location of the compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is the holiest site in Judaism. The mosque is Islam’s third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has encouraged Muslims to visit al-Quds in solidarity with the Palestinians. (T/P011/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)