Istanbul.. Conclusion of an international conference discussing the genocide in Gaza and the targeting of holy sites.

The international roundtable conference aimed at drawing attention to the genocide being committed by Israel against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the threats targeting holy sites concluded in Istanbul on Thursday.

The conference, held in collaboration with the European Muslim Forum, the Jerusalem International Foundation, the International Union of Muslim Scholars, the State of Palestine, and the Turkish Studies Foundation, took place at the "Çırağan" Palace in Istanbul.

The second and third sessions of the conference featured speeches from Sheikh Mu'taz Hafizi Yasin Abu Sneina, the Imam of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, Ayman Zidan, the Executive Director of the Jerusalem Foundation, Russian journalist and politician Maxim Shevchenko, Yeshayahu Yosef Rosenberg, a rabbi from the "Neturei Karta" movement and an anti-Semitism activist, and journalist Israel Shamir.

In his speech, Abu Sneina stated that Israel is carrying out an "occupation operation" against the Ibrahimi Mosque, pointing out that the mosque is currently facing assaults.

He emphasized the necessity of respecting the sanctity of holy places, noting that worshippers at the Ibrahimi Mosque are subjected to insults and humiliation during every search.

Abu Sneina highlighted that there are restrictions on entry and exit, and that the aim of this is to reduce the number of worshippers in the mosque.

He mentioned that the call to prayer and the act of praying are prohibited 50 to 60 times a month "under the pretext of disturbing people."

Abu Sneina expressed his gratitude to the Turkish people for their support of Palestine.

For his part, Zidan stated that Israel aims to completely Judaize Jerusalem, stressing the need for Muslim unity.

He pointed out the necessity of responding to Israel's policies regarding Al-Aqsa Mosque within the framework of the law.

Shevchenko, in turn, affirmed that Israel does not recognize the rule of law.

He mentioned that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan defends the rights of Muslims and Christians.

He stated that Turkey protects the concept of "justice" that was adopted by the Ottoman state.

Rosenberg emphasized the importance of activities aimed at stopping genocide and occupation in Palestine.

He also stressed the importance of raising one's voice against this situation, expressing his deep pain as a Jew regarding Israel's practices that have tarnished their reputation.

Rosenberg added that Israel has exploited Judaism to "justify" its crimes.

Shamir pointed out that Israel has bombed churches in Gaza, noting that "the Zionists are also fighting Christianity."

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, which includes killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to stop.

The genocide has resulted in 64,718 deaths and 163,859 injuries among Palestinians, most of whom are children and women, along with hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals, and famine that has claimed the lives of 411 Palestinians, including 142 children.