Iraqi president urges protecting holy sites in Jerusalem from Israeli violations

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi President Barham Saleh stressed on Monday the importance of protecting holy sites in Jerusalem from the violations of the Israeli occupation forces.

Saleh made the remarks during a meeting at As Salam Palace in Baghdad with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his accompanying delegation, Alghad Press news website quoted the Iraqi presidency as saying in a statement.

The two presidents discussed ways to strengthen mutual cooperation in different fields in a manner that serves the interests of the two countries and achieves aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Saleh stressed “the importance of protecting the holy sites in Jerusalem from any violations” and called for stepping up efforts aimed to realize the hopes of the brotherly Palestinian people for peace and stability, the statement read.

“Iraq has been taking the lead in defending the rights of Palestine and considers it the top issue at the international forums,” Saleh further said.

The two presidents also tackled the latest developments in the Arab and regional arenas and stressed the need for unifying the Arab stance to achieve security and stability in the region.