By ZBC Reporter

The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Harare has condemned the Israeli police’s illegal invasion of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City to brutally attack using tear gases and rubber-coated bullets on hundreds of peaceful Palestinian worshippers who were holding an all-night Ramadan prayer vigil at the Muslim holy compound.

Over 500 hundred Palestinian worshippers were unlawfully arrested, medics were prevented to help the suffocated worshippers and irreparable damages were done to the holy Mosque, the embassy said.

“This violates international norms that call for respect of religious sanctities and we hold Israel fully responsible for any consequences of its actions. The Israeli police removed the Muslim worshippers in order to prepare the way for Jewish fanatics to storm the holy compound in the morning. Such hateful and reprehensible scenes, and repeated Israeli violations of the sanctity of the holy places, fuel feelings of anger among all the Palestinian people and Islamic nations,” noted Israeli Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Tamer-Almassri in a statement.

he added, “Israeli settlers and soldiers over the past months have also attacked churches, bishops and worshippers in order to Judaize Jerusalem. We, therefore, call on the progressive peoples, governments and human rights organizations to condemn and hold Apartheid Israel accountable for these heinous crimes and protect our people. The State of Palestine requests the UNSC to urgently devise effective measures to ensure the protection of worshippers and the full respect for the historic and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Palestinian people will continue to exercise their right to defend Jerusalem, its mosques and churches from the ongoing Israeli aggression which is meant to Judaize the holy city of Jerusalem.”