"At this dangerous and historical turning point through which the Palestinians are going."Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - The Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (PUOIC) has called for solidarity and cooperation in supporting the Palestinians in their fight for freedom.
The PUOIC member states issued a joint statement to that effect, signed by PUOIC president Marzuki Alie, at the Parliamentary Event on Interfaith Dialogue held here on Thursday.
"At this dangerous and historical turning point through which the Palestinians are going, we call upon our glorious Islamic Ummah to maintain solidarity and cooperation in supporting the Palestinian cause," Marzuki said.
"The PUOIC members have been following, with much concern and attention, the unjust, barbaric and savage air, land and sea aggression by the Israeli military over the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip," he stated.
Marzuki called on the global Muslim community to provide "concrete assistance to the Palestinians rather than engaging in empty rhetoric".
"Expressions of condemnation and denunciation are no longer adequate or appropriate to deter the usurper Israelis who breach all international laws and conventions," he added.
The PUOIC members also urged their respective countries to use their international influence and ties to end the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza.
"We also call on our states to take a neutral position and not unjustly and unfairly support Israel in its outrageous aggression against Palestine and its people," Marzuki said.
Earlier, the Speaker of Indonesian House of Representatives said he would hold an emergency session with executive committees from 10 out of 51 OIC member states in Egypt on December.
After the session, the executive committees are expected to visit the Gaza Strip and provide support to the Palestinian parliament and people.
"The international community and the PUOIC are concerned about the situation in Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, and we hope both Israel and Palestine would refrain from fighting and resume dialogue for the sake of peace in the land," said Marzuki, in front of the participants of the Interfaith Dialogue, here on Thursday.
According to recent reports on the situation in Gaza, the Israeli military and the Hamas fighters have declared a ceasefire, after eight days of bloody conflict.
Even after the ceasefire came into force late on Wednesday, a dozen rockets from the Gaza Strip landed in Israel. According to Reuters, witnesses reported an explosion shortly after the truce was declared in Gaza.
The reason behind the incident is yet unknown, although no casualties were reported.
The latest round of conflict between the two sides claimed at least five Israeli lives and killed 162 people in Gaza, including 37 children.
(T.F013/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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