Addressing OIC meeting in Istanbul, Erdogan urges Israel to halt activities harming holy sites in Jerusalem

Speaking at the second extraordinary meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member states (PUOICM) in Istanbul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday accused the Israeli government of trying to harm the sacred fabric of Jerusalem, which is revered by followers of the three Abrahamic religions, by building new settlements. "If Jerusalem burns, then the entire Middle East will burn and peace will be forever out of reach, in both the region and the world," he warned. "Particularly Israel and all other countries closely involved in the region must see this." Erdogan also accused Israel of trying to undermine al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's most holy sites, under the pretext of archaeological excavations. Stating that Turkey had sent a delegation of experts to examine the area, Erdogan said, "We submitted the report prepared by this delegation to international organizations such as UN, UNICEF and UNESCO, but have yet to get any response from them." Complaining that the international community is apathetic in the face of suffering in the Gaza Strip and Palestine in general, Erdogan said, "However, we cannot remain silent. This is our humanitarian duty." Erdogan said that those who tried to destroy Jerusalem would never be able to destroy the fellowship and solidarity there, and that the Islamic world would stand firm against all attacks on Jerusalem. Erdogan told how the OIC was founded in 1969 after an attack on Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem which destroyed the sacred building's minbar. Erdogan said that the minbar was rebuilt in 2007 by Turkish craftsmen. Erdogan called Jerusalem the common heritage of all humanity and a sacred place to over 2 billion Muslims as well as Christians and Jews. Islamophobia is as dangerous to world peace as anti-Semitism and racism, he warned. Calling for the immediate establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the pre-1967 borders, Erdogan said all parties and actors should focus on a solution in line with this goal. Turkey has always supported efforts to find a lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, he added. Erdogan said that they want to end not only threats against Jerusalem but also the inhuman conditions in Gaza. He added that Turkish non-governmental organizations still have difficulty reaching Gaza. As long as the tragedy in Gaza continues, there is little hope for the Middle East peace process, he said. An Istanbul Declaration published at the end of the PUOICM meeting reaffirmed the participants' commitment to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East with the establishment of a sovereign, independent Palestinian state in line with UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as its capital. The declaration said the Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, West Bank and Jerusalem, are a whole. The participants again urged Israel to work to end tension, withdraw its military forces from Palestinian cities and towns, cease all settlement activities, stop attacking civilians and settlements, and lift the blockade of Palestinian territories. The declaration condemned Israel's "provocative acts" against holy sites in Palestine. The declaration also called on Palestinian groups to set aside differences and establish national dialogue. In related news, on the sidelines of the meeting, Erdogan had a closed-door meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.