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Toronto – World leaders are speaking out against Friday’s violent crackdown on protesters by Israeli security forces.
Condemnation from the west has been faint with the exception of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ public condemnation of the violence, which took the lives of three young Palestinian protesters on Friday.
UN deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq quoted Guterres, saying that he “deeply deplores” the killing of three young Palestinian men while they protested the new security measures at the Al Aqsa mosque compound on Friday. The measures were put in place by Israel following the deaths of two police officers in East Jerusalem on June 14. The alleged Palestinian perpetrators were tracked to Al Aqsa where they were shot and killed by Israeli police.
Haq further quoted Guterres saying that, while the UN acknowledges that Israel’s security concerns are “legitimate,” “… on the other hand, it is important that the status quo at the site be retained.”
In addition, Guterres has called for a full investigation into Friday’s violent crackdown by Israeli police.
Friday night, Egypt’s foreign ministry issued a statement, urging Israel not to “let the situation get into a dangerous swamp.” It called the deaths of the three Palestinian protesters the result of an “excessive use of force” and warned of escalating tensions by continuing the security measures taken at the site.
During a public address given on Friday by Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir referenced the situation in Jerusalem, saying “I cannot end this speech without expressing solidarity with the brotherly Palestinian people, especially our people in Al Quds [Jerusalem], and denouncing the closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque.” He added that he hoped the violence would be motivation for “unity and solidarity instead of division.”
