RABAT, February 9, 2008 (WAFA)- The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) strongly condemned the decision taken by the Israeli occupation authorities to demolish the Al-Omari Mosque, built more than 700 years ago in Umm Tuba, a small village southeast of Al-Quds city.

In a statemnt, released on Friday, ISESCO faulted the pretexts used by Al Quds Municipality under Israeli jurisdiction to justify its decision to demolish the Mosque as being manifestly unfounded.

It also called on the international community to bring pressure to bear on Israel to reverse its decision to destroy the Al-Omari Mosque of Umm Tuba, considering it an open offence against Islamic sanctities and a grave breach of international law, especially the Geneva Convention and the decisions of UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

The Organization also called on the OIC member states to immediately interfere to stop this aggressive act and protect Islamic historical monuments in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Moreover, ISESCO considered the decision by Israel to wipe out the Al-Omari Mosque as a gross insult to the feelings of Muslims across the world, and warned against the consequences of such a colonial decision which shocks the conscience of the Islamic Ummah and the peace-loving people the world over.

ISESCO also appealed to UNESCO, with which it has a cooperation agreement, to pressurize Israel to refrain from implementing its decision, calling on the United Nations Human Rights Committee to denounce Israel's violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.