Malaysia strongly condemns Israel’s action to close Al-Aqsa Mosque

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia strongly condemn Israel for closing the AlAqsa Mosque.

“Malaysia strongly condemn Israel for closing the Al-Aqsa mosque and denying the rights of the Muslims to perform Friday prayers,” he said in his Twitter account yesterday.

Israeli police closed and cancelled Friday prayers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque after three Palestinians and two Israeli police officers were killed in a gun battle in the mosque compound.

Meanwhile, Wisma Putra in a statement yesterday accorded the prime minister’s assertion, stressing that the action by the Israeli authorities was a violation of international laws and norms.

“This is the first time since 1969 that Muslim worshippers are banned from performing Friday prayers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” it said.

The foreign ministry further stressed that the provocative action by Israel constitutes a flagrant violation of Muslim’s rights to perform their religious rituals in their holy places free from any restrictions and that the freedom to worship was a right guaranteed under the international law.

Thus, the ministry said Malaysia demanded that Israel immediately re- open the Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslim worshippers and cease any action that would change the status quo of the Islamic holy site.

According to foreign wire reports, Israel reopened the mosque yesterday but Muslim worshippers were refusing to enter due to new security measures including metal detectors and cameras

A call to prayer rang out from Al-Aqsa, but Muslim worshippers held midday prayers outside the site in protest at the new security measures. – Bernama