JEDDAH, February 22, 2007 (WAFA) - Yemen called Thursday on the UN Security Council to significantly take practical and active procedures to halt the process of excavation in the al-Aqsa Mosque.

"Yemen has called the UN Security Council to significantly to take practical and active procedures to halt the process of excavation in the gate of al-Maghariba," said deputy Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Mahi al-Deen al-Dhabi in the OIC emergency meeting Thursday in Jeddah.

Yemen also asked for an urgent international diplomatic move by the members of the OIC, including Qatar and Indonesia, in addition to the head of al-Quds Committee and the Palestinian president to pressure Israel in order to stop excavation works in the Gate of al-Maghariba area.

He noted that Yemen is always emphasizing the importance of maintaining contacts and meetings with the UN Organization and others to magnify the case of excavations done by Israel in the al-Aqsa compound for it is an Islamic case which evokes the wrath of Arab and Islamic nations, adding that Yemen also attaches great significance to the role of the International Community, international organizations and great countries to be played in this sensitive case.

A.D (21:10 P) (19:10 GMT)