Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the UN to act against the Israel’s “breach” of Al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem, a presidency source said Monday.
In a phone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Erdogan described Israel’s actions as “unacceptable” and a cause for “serious indignation” in the Muslim world, according to the source, who spoke under customary condition of anonymity.
On Sunday and Monday, Palestinians and Israeli security forces clashed at the mosque – a revered site for both Muslims and Jews – resulting in dozens of injured casualties.
Erdogan demanded the international community pressure Israel to accept the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital.
According to the source, Ban said the UN was concerned by recent developments and reiterated the importance of peace negotiations for reducing tension.
The two leaders agreed that Israel's insistence on expanding Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory was against international law.
