ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has strongly condemned the attacks on innocentworshippers in Al-Aqsa mosque by the Israel occupation forces that led to anumber of injuries.

In a statement on Saturday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson ZahidHafeez Chaudhri said such attacks, especially during the holy month ofRamazan, are against all humanitarian norms and human rights laws. Heprayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

The spokesperson reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast support to the Palestiniancause and urged the international community to take prompt action toprotect the Palestinian people.

Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri underscored the need for a two state solution inaccordance with the relevant UN and OIC resolutions with the pre-1967borders and Al-Quds Al Sharif as the capital of a viable, independent andcontiguous Palestinian state.

On Friday, Israeli police had fired rubber bullets and stun grenadestowards rock-hurling Palestinian youth at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque amidgrowing anger over the potential eviction of Palestinians from homes onland claimed by illegal Jewish settlers.

Tension has mounted in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank during theMuslim holy month of Ramadan, with nightly clashes in East Jerusalem’sSheikh Jarrah – a neighbourhood where numerous Palestinian families faceeviction in a long-running legal case.

At least 205 Palestinians and 17 officers were injured in the night-timeclashes at Islam’s third-holiest site and around East Jerusalem,Palestinian medics and Israeli police said, as thousands of Palestiniansfaced off with several hundred Israeli police in riot gear.

The Palestine Red Crescent ambulance service said 108 of the Palestiniansinjured were taken to hospital, with many hit with rubber-coated metalbullets.