OIC condemns the burning of a mosque in Galilee

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, condemned today the burning at dawn of a mosque in the village of Touba Zangaria in Upper Galilee at the hands of a group of Israeli extremist settlers. He described this evil aggression as a terrorist act against the freedom of worship and the inviolability of sanctities. The Secretary General stated that the desecration and burning of the mosque and the writing of racist slogans on its walls was part of the open war waged by extremist settlers against the Palestinian people and their sanctities. He stated that Israel must take all necessary measures to protect holy places and prevent re-occurrence of such serious violations that run counter to international principles and conventions. The Secretary General called upon the international community and human rights organizations to act toward ending such violations that would drag the region into a spiral of violence and tension.