JEDDAH, February 22, 2007 (WAFA) Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) called Thursday in the extraordinary executive committee broad meeting, at the ministerial level at the Headquarters of the General Secretariat, for protecting the al-Aqsa Moaque from Israel's Violations.

In the presence of OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the President of the Conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Head of OIC Ministerial Committee, Almur Mohammed Yarov delivered a speech on this occasion in which he said that the Islamic world has been facing a Zionist aggression of trying to conduct excavations at Al-Maghariba Gate.

He described these excavations as a serious violation of the international law which prohibits the State of occupation from changing natural, demographic and civilization features in the occupied territories, stressing that these excavations are a blatant aggression on the Sanctities of Muslims which requires a collective Islamic work to halt and prevent them.

Yarov called for an immediate intervention by the United Nations to ensure adequate protection to Jerusalem.

The OIC affirmed that Jerusalem is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 and, as such, is subject to the same provisions as all occupied Palestinian territories in accordance with the resolutions of the international legitimacy.

it also affirmed that the grave violations committed by the occupying power in Jerusalem, including the construction of a synagogue in the vicinity of Al Aqsa Mosque and a Jewish museum, the project of a railroad line linking occupied Arab Jerusalem with the settlements, the persisting settlement activity inside the City, isolation of the City with an Apartheid wall to judaize it, are aggressive and illegal practices that constitute a flagrant violation of the international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, and demands the UN Security Council to intervene to take the necessary measures to protect Al Aqsa Mosque and compel Israel to implement the resolutions of the international legitimacy on Jerusalem, including in particular resolutions 253, 267, 271, 465, 476, 478, 6725, 1073, and General Assembly resolution 223/51.

The OIC welcomed and supports the Makkah Al Mukarramah Agreement of Palestinian national reconciliation, commended the sponsorship and praiseworthy efforts put in by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and requested the international community to support the agreement.

It also welcomed the efforts aimed at forming the Palestinian national unity government and undertook to support it for its significance for steadfastness of the Palestinian people and supporting its resistance ability until just and comprehensive peace is achieved.

The OIC confirmed the need to abide by the resolution to break the unjust embargo imposed on the Palestinian people adopted by the Executive Committee in its Expanded Extraordinary Meeting held on 18 November 2006, and calls for urgent action with the international community to lift the embargo in the light of positive developments on the Palestinian scene.

It called upon the Muslim Nation to unify its efforts in order to defend its sanctities and resist all attempts aimed at weakening its causes and spreading sectarian and religious differences amongst and within the Islamic countries.

The OIC also called on the Member States to provide financial and moral support to the population of Jerusalem and its Palestinian institutions in support for their steadfastness and the preservation of the Islamic and Arab identity as well as the religious, historical and demographic character of the city.

It called also on the international community, the Quartet in particular, to put pressure on Israel to immediately end its aggression against Al Aqsa Mosque and cease all its measures that would lead to more tension and violence, constituting a threat to international peace and security at a time when serious efforts are needed to achieve comprehensive peace and stability in the Middle East.

the OIC requested the General Secretariat to follow the implementation of the international decisions and resolutions adopted in this regard, especially the decision adopted by the 30th Session of the World Heritage Committee held in July 2006, in Lithuania which was approved by all UNESCO Member States, including Israel, that Israel should provide to the World Heritage Centre all relevant information concerning its plans for new buildings and reconstruction of the access leading to Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque.

it called upon the Member States to provide advisory and technical support to the Endowment Department in Jerusalem, as required by Palestine.

A.D (20:24 P) (16: 24 GMT)