Turkish Religious Authorities Ask United Muslim States To End Persecution In Jerusalem-Al Aqsa

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JAKARTA - Turkish Authority for Religious Affairs (Diyanet) chief Ali Erbas said he condemned Israel's aggressive actions against the Palestinians. He expects all Muslims to unite.

"I hope all Muslims unite. When the differences between Muslim countries end, the occupation and persecution in Jerusalem will end," Erbas was quoted as saying by Yenisafaq on Friday, May 14.

Turkey, erbas said, has high concerns about what is happening in Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Tensions have risen since an Israeli court last week ordered the eviction of a Palestinian family from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem, leading to Palestinian protests and Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians, including worshippers at the city's Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The latest death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 87, including 18 children and eight women, with 530 injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the Arab-Israeli war of 1967 and annexed the entire city in 1980, an act never recognized by the international community.

Khatib Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem Sheikh Ekrime Sabri has previously thanked Turkey for its support of the Palestinians. This was revealed by Sheikh Ekrime Sabri by telephone with the Head of the Turkish Authority for Religious Affairs (Diyanet) Ali Erbas on Thursday, May 13.

Sheikh Ekrime Sabri said president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ali Erbas' statements reacting to Israeli attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestine were crucial.

"Mr. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and your precious speech are very important ... I would like to reiterate once again that this speech in support of Jerusalem, al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestine supports our persistence here," Sheikh Ekrime Sabri said in a statement.

He expressed a desire to celebrate eid al-Fitr as well as mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan with Erbas and other Turks at the al-Aqsa Mosque in independent Jerusalem.