Jeddah, 6th April 2023:

The OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) strongly condemns the brutal assault on peaceful Palestinian worshippers inside Al Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli occupation forces. While the the brutality of Israeli forces against innocent Palestinians has been on escalation throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) for several weeks, the assault against the Al Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan has crossed all limits for the third year in a row, which accounts for a gross violation of all ethical and humanitarian norms and human rights laws, the Commission added.
In a serious violation of the sanctity of Al Aqsa Mosque, Israeli occupation forces raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on 5th April 2023 and by using brute force injured dozens of Palestinian worshippers and detained more than 500 innocent Palestinians, including children. This was the most serious violence at the holy site in nearly a year, which not only undermined the right of the Palestinians to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan but also flagrantly violated all norms of international human rights and humanitarian laws. From all accounts it appears a well-planned violence against the innocent and peaceful Palestinian Muslims praying at the Al Aqsa Mosque. The far-right Israeli government is also planning to desecrate the Al-Aqsa Mosque campus during the Jewish Passover holiday, threatening to offer sacrifices in its yard at the hands of the extreme right-wing Jewish groups, which constitutes an unprecedented provocation against the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims.
The Commission squarely condemns this inhuman behaviour and calls for immediate punitive measures against the Israeli occupation State, and to hold all those involved in this heinous crime, accountable for the egregious violations of human rights laws. In a deplorable escalation of violence against innocent Palestinians, Israeli occupation forces, in recent weeks, have also killed dozens and injured countless Palestinians in the occupied Jerusalem and in the West Bank. However, all these gross human rights violations remain unaddressed by the international community.
While regretting the failure of the international community to address the ever-increasing human rights violations committed by Israel, the Occupying Power, against the Palestinians, the Commission called upon all relevant stakeholders, in particular OIC Member States, to assert maximum pressure by all possible means including the use of BDS movement on the Israeli occupying authorities to put an immediate end to its ongoing aggressions and human rights violations.
The Commission reiterated its full support to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and resolved to continue raising awareness about the Israeli human rights violations against innocent Palestinians at all relevant international forums in cooperation with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the OPT and other relevant UN Special Procedures.