Muslim groups in Southeast Asia decry Israel's attacks on Al-Aqsa

JAKARTA, Indonesia

Muslim groups in Southeast Asia have vehemently condemned Israel’s violence and forced eviction of Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem, urging the international community to put an end to the injustices.

Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, the two largest Muslim organizations in Indonesia, called on the UN and the international community to take concrete steps to stop Israel’s aggression.

“The UN and all countries in the world should act firmly against all forms of Israeli arbitrariness and must not protect them,” Haedar Nashir, chairman of Muhammadiyah, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Helmy Faishal Zaini, secretary-general of Nahdlatul Ulama, urged the UN to take quick and strategic steps to restore peace in Palestine, which he said is a sovereign state recognized by all nations in the world.

The Aqsa Working Group staged Palestine solidarity demonstrations at 30 locations across Indonesia on Monday.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM) has launched a fundraising drive, aiming to raise $25,000 in four weeks to help provide food, medicines, and security gear to Palestinians.

“From Kuala Lumpur to Istanbul, from Senegal to Cairo ... Muslims must rise up to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the group said in a statement.

The Islamic Council of Singapore (MUIS) also decried the violence in occupied East Jerusalem.

In a statement on Monday, the council said it was deeply concerned and saddened by the acts of violence against unarmed worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“We pray for Allah’s mercy and safety for the innocent and hope for calm and a quick de-escalation of the situation,” the statement said.

Israeli forces have been relentless in their attacks on Palestinians since Friday when they injured more than 200 Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the third-holiest site in the world for Muslims, and in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

Heavily armed Israeli forces stormed the mosque twice on Monday, firing rubber-coated bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at Palestinians, wounding more than 300.

Tensions have run high in the Sheikh Jarrah area since last week as Israeli settlers have swarmed in after an Israeli court ordered the eviction of Palestinian families.

Israeli forces and settlers have repeatedly assaulted Palestinians who have turned up to express solidarity with the families facing eviction, with many also having been detained.

After Palestinian groups fired rockets in response to Israel’s violence in Jerusalem, Israel started an air offensive on the Gaza Strip on Monday evening.

As of Tuesday afternoon, at least 26 Palestinian civilians had been killed and some 110 injured in Israeli air strikes on the besieged Palestinian territory, local sources told Anadolu Agency.

*Writing by Rhany Chairunissa Rufinaldo with Anadolu Agency’s Indonesian language services in Jakarta