Iran Blasts Jewish Extremists' Plan to Lay Symbolic Cornerstone in JerusalemIran on Saturday condemned Israel for allowing a group of Jewish extremists to lay a symbolic cornerstone for a new Jewish temple in Jerusalem close to one of Islam's holiest sites, saying that the move is aimed at exerting greater domination over the holy city.Israeli programs and measures to remove Islamic sanctities and prepare the ground for full implementation of the plan to judaize the holy city are totally rejected, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency. "Jerusalem is the center of solidarity among Islamic governments and nations," he said. Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday approved the plan of the extremist Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement to lay a symbolic cornerstone on the site of the historic second Jewish temple in Jerusalem, which is also home to Islam's third holiest place, the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. But the court blocked the group from doing so within the al-Aqsa compound for fear of sparking clashes. Asefi called on Muslim states to make strong reactions to the Jewish extremists' plan, saying that it is necessary and significant for all Muslim states to safeguard Islamic sanctities and protect valuable Islamic heritage for future generations. "The Holy Qods, or Jerusalem, as permanent capital of Palestine, has a lofty status in beliefs and sentiments of Muslims worldwide," he said, adding that respect for strong popular beliefs and sentiments have always been the key to peaceful coexistence in various communities. The international community should take necessary measures to " prevent the willful measures of the Zionist regime of Israel and protect the sanctities and values of the old Islamic civilization, he stressed. |
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