Bangladesh condemns Israel's attack on Muslims praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Bangladesh on Thursday strongly condemned Israeli forces for a raid and attacks on innocent Muslim worshippers at the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

The Foreign Ministry in a statement condemned the attack, saying Israeli forces on Wednesday morning used violence against worshippers and civilians during prayers.

“Bangladesh expresses deep concerns over the violations of basic civil norms, international human rights laws and international accords by the Israeli forces,” it said.

For Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents Islam's third-holiest site. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Several extremist settler groups called for incursions into the Al-Aqsa mosque complex to mark the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, which began on April 5.

Early Wednesday, the Israeli police attacked the Palestinians inside the Al-Qibli Prayer Hall and detained around 350 worshippers from inside the mosque.

According to the Commission for Palestinian Prisoners Affairs, Israeli police began to release the detainees on the condition that they be removed from Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem’s Old City for a week.

“Bangladesh believes that the freedom of religion must be held as a fundamental human right and the right of practicing religious rituals, particularly in the holy month of Ramadan must be ensured,” the Bangladeshi ministry said.

The Muslim-majority South Asian country also called on the international community to take "sustained measures to end such repeated violence in the occupied territories against international norms."

Reiterating its support for the Palestinian people's inalienable right to a sovereign and independent homeland, Bangladesh in the statement reaffirmed its support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the basis of a two-state solution.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.