Al-Azhar Urges International Organizations to Maintain Legal Status of Jerusalem

Grand Imam of al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb speaks during an inter-religious meeting with Pope Francis at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Tony Gentile
Grand Imam of al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb speaks during an inter-religious meeting with Pope Francis at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Tony Gentile
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Al-Azhar Urges International Organizations to Maintain Legal Status of Jerusalem

Grand Imam of al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb speaks during an inter-religious meeting with Pope Francis at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Tony Gentile
Grand Imam of al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb speaks during an inter-religious meeting with Pope Francis at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Tony Gentile

Al-Azhar called on all international bodies and organizations to “preserve the legal status of the city of Jerusalem, to affirm its identity and to intervene immediately to stop the attacks by the Israelis.”

In a statement released on Sunday, Al-Azhar warned of continued Israeli plots to Judaize Jerusalem and change its Arab identity, and called on the international community to take immediate action to stop Israeli assaults against the city and its sacred places.

Al-Azhar also condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by hundreds of Israeli settlers under Israeli police protection on Sunday. The Jewish settlers broke into the holy site from Bab El-Maghareba gate and performed religious rituals.

In March, Al-Azhar condemned the repression by the Israeli occupation forces of peaceful demonstrations and marches organized by the Palestinian people on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of “Land Day” and the “Marches of Return.”

Al-Azhar then stressed its full support for the Palestinian people “in their legitimate struggle for the restoration of their occupied land and their valiant uprising against the policy of land confiscation and Judaization pursued by the occupation forces,” affirming the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.



US Military Says It Strikes Iran-Backed Militia Facility in Syria

A convoy of US military vehicles near Qamishli, Syria, February 2020. (SANA/via Reuters)
A convoy of US military vehicles near Qamishli, Syria, February 2020. (SANA/via Reuters)
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US Military Says It Strikes Iran-Backed Militia Facility in Syria

A convoy of US military vehicles near Qamishli, Syria, February 2020. (SANA/via Reuters)
A convoy of US military vehicles near Qamishli, Syria, February 2020. (SANA/via Reuters)

US forces conducted strikes in Syria against Iranian-aligned militia groups for a second day in a row Tuesday in response to further attacks on US personnel, US Central Command said late Tuesday.

In the latest retaliatory strikes, US forces hit a weapons storage and logistics facility after militia groups launched a rocket attack on US personnel at Patrol Base Shaddadi in Eastern Syria.

Earlier Tuesday, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said that over the weekend the militias had also targeted US personnel with a drone attack and indirect fires at another base, Green Village, where US troops are operating — which prompted the US to strike nine militia targets on Monday in self-defense.

There are about 900 US troops deployed in Syria. No US troops were injured in either attack.