The United States (US) has again blocked the condemnation resolution of the UN Security Council (UNSC) against Israel over attacking the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The closed-door meeting of the UNSC was held at the demand of China and the United Arab Emirates after the Israeli forces attack at Al-Aqsa Mosque and torture of the worshippers during Ramadan.
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The UNSC emergency meeting was set to condemn the Israeli attack, but US blocked the move, as per UN law, the condemnation statement is only released after the consensus of all the members.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and viciously assaulted dozens of Palestinian worshippers in occupied East Jerusalem.
The raid at Al-Aqsa started around 10 pm local time when heavily armed police officers were first spotted entering the site before firing tear gas and stun grenades into the Qibli prayer hall – the building with the silver dome – where hundreds of men, women, elderly people and children were staying overnight to pray.
The worshippers were forcibly removed from the site where they were peacefully observing the holy month of Ramadan.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said: “Israel’s raid into Al-Aqsa mosque, its assault on worshippers, is a slap to recent U.S. efforts which tried to create calm and stability during the month of Ramadan.”
Less than 24 hours earlier, police raided the mosque to try to remove what they said were masked agitators who locked themselves inside after attempts to remove them by dialogue failed.
Itikaf at Al-Aqsa Mosque is not allowed by Israeli authorities outside of the last ten days of Ramadan, a ban that Palestinians refuse to comply with.
Israeli forces regularly empty the mosque of Palestinians outside the five Muslim prayers, especially overnight and after dawn prayer to ensure a smooth incursion of Israeli settlers which takes place daily around 7:30 am local time.