Jeddah, (UNA-OIC) – The General Supervisor of the Palestinian Official Media, Minister Ahmed Assaf, expressed his appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Muslim World League for their role in spreading Islam’s concepts of coexistence.
During his speech at the second edition of the Media Forum of the Union of OIC News Agencies (UNA-OIC), he said: “The initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Muslim World League to introduce the concepts of Islam and coexistence makes me proud of them, and I hope that the same is present among all followers of religions, cultures, and civilizations.”
“We are always reaching out for peace, coexistence, and dialogue, the situation for us in Palestine imposes itself, because we live in the memory of the burning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which falls on August 21, when an extremist came in the name of the Jewish religion to burn this holy place the first of the two qiblahs, and unfortunately for more than 51 years and until now, these fires are still burning, whether in the Al-Aqsa Mosque or in other mosques, in the holy places belonging to both Muslims and Christians in Palestine.”
Mr. Assaf thanked the main guest of the forum, Secretary General of the Muslim World League Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karin Al-Issa, for his valuable and clear speech, in which he expressed the concepts of the Islamic religion concerning coexistence between religions, civilizations, and cultures.
The minister pointed out that “Palestine was always a center for coexistence before its occupation in 1948, when people of various religions used to live in Palestine under equal rights and equal freedoms.”
He added: “We always seek dialogue, and we support dialogue, and for the success of this dialogue. However, the first principle of dialogue is for the other side to recognize you, recognize your rights and deal with you with the same equality, not to enact dozens of racist laws every day such as the national law enacted by the Israeli occupation.”
“The racial discrimination of the Israeli occupation against Palestinians feeds extremism on both sides, which is why the occupation must end, and justice must be established.”
AG/UNA-OIC
