Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called for an immediate end to Israel’s new restrictions at the compound of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, Anadolu Agency reported.
“Metal detectors and other restrictions should be immediately lifted and returned to the status quo. Everyone should be guarded against provocations at this sensitive time,” Erdogan said in a statement.
“As the Summit Term President of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation [OIC], I call for the international community to act to immediate to end practices that restrict freedom of worship,” he said.
Erdogan said that Israel’s shutting down of the Al-Aqsa compound last week for three days, and then imposing new restrictions, including placing metal detectors at the entrance, and citing the deadly July 14 shootout to justify this, is “unacceptable.”
“As OIC Term President, I condemn Israeli forces’ use of excess force on our brothers gathered for Friday prayer, the Friday prayer not being allowed in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and Israel’s persistence in its attitude despite all warnings,” Erdogan said, adding: “I wish Allah’s mercy upon our three brothers who lost their lives” in Friday’s violence.
The Turkish president also wished a speedy recovery to the hundreds of wounded, saying that Turkey is against every type of violence. He called on Israel to respect the holiness and historical status of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, saying this is its legal duty.
AB/IINA
