Islamic ministers condemn Israeli action

Islamic foreign ministers on Monday condemned Israel's renewed attacks in the Palestinian territories as "unacceptable" domination of the Palestinian people.

Meeting ahead of a summit of their leaders this week, foreign ministers from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) focused their criticism on Zionist regime while also discussing the Iraq war, the Darfur conflict.

"In our view it is imperative for the international community to make it clearly understood by Israel that it cannot continue its policy of domination of the Palestinian people," said Senegal's Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio speaking as host president of the meeting.

Gadio also criticized "the persistence and the aggravation of the Israel occupation" of Beit Ul Moqaddas.

"This situation is intolerable and demands that we stay mobilised behind our Palestinian brothers in their heroic struggle," Gadio commented.

Other ministers and OIC secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu also called for the speedy creation of a Palestinian state.

Ihsanoglu said the OIC now has increased influence but Muslim nations must now combat "the surging waves of prejudices and bigotry" against Islam's followers.

"The OIC now has the capacity to play a leading role at the international level. At the same time, the OIC has become and indispensable player in the domain of dialogue among civilizations."

He added that the Muslim world must work on "pressing issues confronting it" such as the Palestinians, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, conflict in Somalia and Sudan's Darfur region.

"We are confronted by hatred and bigotry of radical marginal groups of people who believe that it is only through insulting Muslim and their religious symbols that they can demonstrate their commitment to freedom of speech," said the OIC leader.

The foreign ministers meeting started seven hours behind schedule. Sources within the organisation said this was because experts preparing the meeting had become bogged down over proposals to change the charter of the 57-nation forum.