Top Turkish cleric calls on Muslims to unite

The head of Turkish Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş said Monday the Palestine and Jerusalem issue could be solved through the united efforts of the Muslim world.

Speaking at the event in Istanbul, Erbaş said: “It is now clear that those who occupy Palestine and Jerusalem and drag the world into war and chaos do not care and take no account of values as law, mercy, conscience, democracy and human rights. The only solution at this point is that the Ummah [community] comes together to prevent the persecution and occupation."

He underlined that Israel continued its oppression of the Palestinian people and occupation of their territories with the support of the U.S. and other global powers.

“An invader community, built as a handful of minorities in the center of Islamic geography, has become the biggest obstacle to peace in the Middle East -- with the support of a number of centers of power, especially the United States -- through reckless and spoiled attitudes that disregard international law, morality and the sanctity of other beliefs.”

Erbaş blamed the scattered and weak position of the Islamic communities for the situation in Jerusalem.

“Islamic countries should abandon artificial contention and conflict among themselves,” he argued.

“A strong and prosperous Islamic world will ensure the peace and confidence of all mankind as well as being the conscience and hope of a humanity seeking rights, law, justice and safety”, he added.

"We know that the fighting of races and denominations […] is a deadly virus left by others in this geography."

Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office in Azerbaijan, Sheikh-ul-islam Allahshukur Pashazade vowed his support to the Palestinian cause and thanked Turkey for its support to Palestine and Jerusalem.

Around 70 Muslim scholars and researchers from 20 countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Britain, France, Kenya, Somalia, and Uganda, took part in the two-day event.