The recent aggression by Israeli security forces targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque and the worshipers inside it, and resulted in injuries among the worshipers  represented an escalation that continued unabated in recent weeks.

Such attacks reflect hostile intentions and a persistent attitude to expand the conflict, since the holy shrines under attack are not merely Palestinian, but they belong to the Arab Islamic world as well.

The seriousness of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim reactions toward the Israeli officialdom and their extremist violations show the gravity of that escalation. It emphasizes also the need for a UN intervention through the Security Council. Such intervention should not suffice in a condemnation of the repeated Israeli violations against the sacred Muslim and Christian sites, but rather make Israel 0accountable and prevent a recurrence of these aggressions.

It is almost impossible to reach an international agreement on this issue if Arab and Islamic reactions are restricted in condemnation statements. A strong and sharp message must be sent to Israel and the international community to express the gravity of these violations and assure that Arabs and Muslims will not tolerate them.

Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims have every right to resort to all potential methods to defend Al Aqsa Mosque and other sacred shrines, together with other Palestinian legitimate rights. The provocative acts committed by settlers and Israeli extremists and encouraged by Israeli government are a kind of terror that must be confronted and stopped.

Consequently, it is the time for the Arabs and Muslims to hold an urgent summit to define a clear stance and formulate explicit demands to be presented to the international community. Every nation should be assessed according to its response to these demands. The silence and carelessness of Arab and Muslim countries toward what happens to Al Aqsa and Ibrahim Mosque are neither logical nor sensible. These nations have significant leverage that should be used both in the international and the Israeli arenas alike.

It is time also for the Arabs and Muslims to examine the European and American credibility with regard to the international legitimacy and Palestinian Arab rights. They should prove the seriousness of their attitude toward ending Israeli occupation which has been the main reason behind the instability and the absence of security and peace in the region.

The time has also come for activists of human rights and religious freedom to voice rejection to the Israeli violations. It is not reasonable for the deception game to continue.

There is no place for misguiding peace slogans aimed at wasting the precious Arab and Muslim time through such slogans while Europe and US are motionless.

The international silence with regard to these violations, the Gaza blockade and the settlement activities are a mark of shame to the global community, and the dominant powers in the New World Order in particular.

It is high time for a unified Palestinian, Arab and Islamic position that demands the international community shoulder responsibilities, and sends a clear message to Israel that its ongoing aggression under the pretext of peace leads to nowhere. The era when Arab capitals open their gates for Israeli officials is over as a result of the aggression and occupation strategy. Israel has now to choose between the perpetuation of its occupation and settlement activities or a just peace that would put an end to them and enable the Palestinians to achieve their legitimate rights.