TASEK PAUH blogspot

PUTRAJAYA, February 9 - It is time for the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to come up with “more than just words” to stop Israel from desecrating an Islamic holy site.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said if OIC secretary-general’s office were really interested in stopping Israel’s excavations near the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, it would need to initiate concrete action.

“The days of talking are over,” he told reporters after accepting contributions from the Wisma Putra Sports and Welfare Club for flood victims in Johor here on Thursday.

Syed Hamid was responding to a statement by OIC secretary-general Prof Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu that he “had initiated proactive contacts” with Islamic Summit Conference chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in order to come up with a move to counter the aggressions taken by Israel against the Al-Aqsa mosque.

The excavation had demolished a passage linking the mosque to Al-Maghariba Gate nearby, a move which drew protests.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered the third most holy site for Muslims.

However, Syed Hamid said, as the current chair of OIC, Malaysia was willing to coordinate a meeting for all members to come together and decide on a joint action.

This was because, he added, each member in the Middle East region had its own diplomatic tie or stand towards Israel, which had to be taken into account for any joint action to be effective. theStarOnline

Labels: al-Aqsa, Malaysia, Pak Lah, Ummah