OIC demands protection of 180,000 besieged Palestinians in

Jeddah, November 07, SPA -- The Secretary General of the Organization
of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, has
expressed his grave concern over the tragic conditions facing
Palestinians in Hebron due to the suffocating siege imposed by Israel
on more than 180,000 Palestinians living in the occupied city in a
bid to protect a handful of settlers who wreak havoc and devastation
in the city.

In a press release issued here last Wednesday evening, he called on
the United Nations to take on its responsibilities by providing
protection for Palestinian civilians in Hebron against the attacks
perpetrated by Israeli settlers.

In a similar vein, Ihsanoglu strongly condemned the Israeli incursion
into the Gaza Strip on November 5, killing a number of citizens in
spite of the truce that was declared and committed by the Palestinian
factions.


"This development confirms Israel's disregard for international law
and its determination to carry on its aggression, which calls for
swift international action to put an end to these violations."


The OIC Secretary General called on the members of the Security
Council and the UN Secretary General to act promptly to stop the
Israeli aggression and take the proper measures likely to ensure the
protection of the Palestinian people against the state terrorism
practiced by Israel against Palestinian civilians.