Netanyahu Reacts As OIC Vows ‘No Security’ Until Islam’s 3rd Holiest Sanctuary Gets Liberation

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has adopted a resolution in favour of Palestine in what its Executive Committee described as “The Aggression by Israel, The Occupying Power, in The Palestinian Territories, in Particular, Al-Quds Al-Shareef (East Jerusalem)”.

Moments after, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the country’s territorial landscape belongs to the Jews.

THE WHISTLER reported that the OIC (made up of 57 members), of which Nigeria is a member, held an emergency meeting on Sunday to deliberate on the clash between Israeli forces and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa–Islam’s 3rd holiest mosques.

The organization outrightly condemned Israel and held that the country was responsible for the escalation in the region and supported Palestine’s ownership of Jerusalem.

It said it, “Condemns in the strongest terms the barbaric attacks launched by Israel, the occupying authority, against the Palestinian people and their land and holy sites; demands complete and immediate stop of these attacks that have affected innocent civilians and their properties, in gross violation of international law and United Nations resolutions on the question of Palestine; and warns that the continuation of and incitement to these attacks and provocations, the threat on the lives of innocent civilians, causing severe suffering to them increase the risks of instability, with serious implications for security in and outside of the region…”

Among other things, the OIC resolved that member states should support Palestine’s struggle to reclaim its land from Israel.

Part of its resolutions reads: “Reiterates that Al-Quds Al-Shareef and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s first qibla and third holiest sanctuary, is a red line for the Islamic ummah, that only with its full liberation from occupation and its return to the Palestinian people and the Islamic ummah will there be security and stability; invites Member States to make concerted and individual efforts, to rally round and defend Al-Quds and its holy sites, face up to Israel’s crimes, provide the Palestinian people with support and the wherewithal for steadfastness to confront the Israeli barbaric attacks; and requests them to respect the OIC resolutions on the Palestinian cause and work to implement them as the central issue of the Islamic ummah and the raison d’etre of the OIC;

“Appreciates the role played by the Chair of the Al-Quds Committee in protecting the sanctuaries in Al-Quds Al-Shareef and standing up to the measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities to Judaize the holy city;Salutes the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land and for their historic stand in the face of aggression and occupation, and epic defence of their legitimate rights, standing up to the obliteration, eviction and revocation attempts by the Israeli racist, colonial regime; and reiterates its support and backing for the Palestinian leadership;

“Invites Member States to provide all forms of support and backing for the Palestinian people to strengthen their resilience on their land and to stress the importance of activating the financial safety network, in accordance with the resolution of the 14th Islamic Summit, particularly for the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure, properties and homes sheltering hundreds of Palestinian families who have been rendered homeless because of the heavy destruction carried out by the Israeli occupation force.”

But Netanyahu vowed to continue to attack any entity trying to terrorize Israel; Hamas in particular.

“Our campaign against the terrorist organizations is continuing with full force.We are exacting very heavy prices from Hamas for its intolerable aggression.

“This evening we will celebrate Shavuot, the festival of the giving of the Torah. When the Torah was given, when we received the Ten Commandments, the people of Israel stood together, as Rashi writes, ‘As one person, with one heart.’

“Thus we stand today – as one person, with one heart, with one heart in the fight for our state, one heart behind our soldiers, and one heart for our security and our future,” he said while appreciating the support of the United States and other allies.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government had refused to take side in the ongoing rift between Israel and Palestine.

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs had stated that, “The Nigerian Government further urges the two parties to remain committed to the two-state solution and, in the meantime, guarantee the rights of all citizens to live in peace and dignity.”