The undersigned organizations strongly condemn Israeli measures and practices promoting Judaism while destroying the Arab and Islamic characteristics of Jerusalem and al Khalil.
By incorporating the Ibrahimi Sanctuary and Bilal Mosque into its list of Jewish heritage sites, Israel ignores the norms and provisions of international humanitarian law that prohibit occupation forces from introducing changes to the cultural and religious heritage of the occupied territory.
Additionally, the Israeli authorities’ appropriation of the history and cultural heritage of the Palestinian people is also considered a war crime.
The undersigned organizations warn that these actions may exacerbate religious tension between Muslims and Jews in the region leading to heightened violence.
The undersigned organizations condemn the actions of both the occupying army and Israeli settlers in Jerusalem that have violated the sanctity of Islamic holy sites.
  These violations include encroachments on the al-Aqsa Mosque, the denial of Palestinian access to the mosque, and the use of excessive force to repress locals protesting the violation of their houses of worship.
  Dozens of Palestinians were injured during the protests, which included beatings, the use of tear gas and rubber bullets.
We reiterate that these latest measures to bolster Israeli plans to annex East Jerusalem and extend the scope of settlements in the city are in violation of international law.
The municipality of occupied Jerusalem has recently approved the construction of 600 new settlement-housing units on Palestinian territory.
  These actions necessitate a continuation of the theft and confiscation of more Palestinian-owned land and the demolition of Palestinian homes.
We regret that the ongoing disregard of the rights of Palestinians by the occupying authorities is the natural outcome of the international community’s failure to assume its responsibility to protect Palestinians and hold the occupying authorities accountable for their ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people.
We further regret that the Arab bloc in the UN supported a resolution in the General Assembly granting Israel and the Palestinian Authority/Hamas an additional five months to investigate the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip.
  This resolution is in complete disregard of the recommendations of the Goldstone Report, which recommends turning to the International Criminal Court if the involved parties do not prove their intention of conducting honest and independent investigations into the grave crimes and violations detailed by the report within six months.
We, the undersigned organizations, call on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibility to ensure respect for international human rights law and international humanitarian law, guarantee protection for the Palestinian people, and put an end to abuses against Palestinians by taking a firm stand against settlement expansion and plans to Judaize East Jerusalem.
We also call on members of the European Union, who have publicly rejected Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem, to activate Article 2 of the Israeli-European Partnership Agreement and make continued economic cooperation with Israel dependent upon its respect of Palestinian rights, its commitment to stop settlement expansion, and to dismantle existing settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
  Please note that Bahey el Din Hassan, the General Director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, has sent a letter to the President of the United States, Barak Obama, regarding this issue and requesting his intervention in order to put an end to these new instances of aggressive behavior.
  Signatures:   Al-Nadim Center for the Treatment and Psychological Rehabilitation for Victims of Violence – Egypt  Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies – Egypt Arab Foundation for Civil Society and Human Rights Support – Egypt Arab Penal Reform Organization – Egypt Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression – Egypt Center for Trade Union and Workers’ Services – Egypt Committee for the Respect of Liberties and Human Rights in Tunisia – Tunisia Committees for the Defense of Democracy Freedom and Human Rights – Syria Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies – Syria Habi Center for Environmental Rights – Egypt Hisham Mubarak Law Center – Egypt Human Rights First Society (HRFS) Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia Iraqi Organization for Human Rights – Denmark Kurdish Committee for Human Rights – Syria Land Center for Human Rights – Egypt Mezan Center for Human Rights – Palestine New Women Foundation – Egypt Palestinian Human Rights Foundation (Monitor) - Lebanon Palestinian Human Rights Organization (PHRO) – Lebanon Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights – Yemen Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression – Syria The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information – Egypt The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies – Egypt The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement – Egypt The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights – Egypt The Egyptian Center for the Rights of the Child – Egypt The Egyptian Foundation for the Advancement of Childhood Conditions – Egypt The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights – Egypt  The Group For Human Rights Legal Aid – Egypt The Human Rights Center for the Assistance of Prisoners – Egypt The Palestinian Center for Human Rights – Palestine Yemeni Organization for the Defense of Human Rights – Yemen