Malaysia has condemned in the strongest terms the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday by Israeli authorities. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement today that the move to prevent Muslim worshipers from entering the mosque is a violation of international laws and norms. This is the first time since 1969 that Muslim worshipers were banned from performing Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque. "The provocative action by Israel constitutes a flagrant violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites and a serious violation of Muslims' rights to perform their religious rituals in their holy places free from any restrictions." "The freedom to worship is a right guaranteed under the international law and any violation of that right should be opposed," the ministry said. Malaysia demands that Israel immediately re-opens the Mosque and ceases any actions that would change the status quo of the Islamic holy site.
