Open Al-Aqsa for prayer

THE closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the new Israeli regime security measures being introduced to enter the mosque need to be strongly condemned.

The Israeli measure is being viewed by Muslims around the globe as a provocation, a dangerous precedent and a violation of religious freedom, international laws, treaties and resolutions.

The Israeli regime instead of reviewing its discriminatory and unfair policies and violations of Palestinians’ human rights chooses to immediately retaliate to the shooting incident by shutting down the mosque.

There can be no justification for the closure of the mosque or the implementation of new measures to enter the mosque.

Muslims around the globe correctly oppose this illegal decision taken by the Zionist occupying regime.

The “collective punishment” being carried out by the Israeli regime that affects hundreds of thousands of Palestinians must be stopped. The continued attacks against Muslim and Christian holy sites in Palestine must end immediately.

I call on the government to undertake a much stronger and courageous stance against what is being done to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to take firmer steps against Israel’s ongoing illegal and brutal occupation of Palestine and the sustained human rights abuses against the indigenous peoples of Palestine.

The key to establishing peace and solving the conflict lies in the withdrawal of the occupying Israeli forces and a one-state solution for all who live in the Holy land. Pietermaritzburg