“The Board of Directors of KAICIID is shocked and saddened by growing violence in Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank, and grieves the loss of the more than 62 individuals, including fourteen children, who have lost their lives as a result. The violence was sparked by clashes between security forces and protesters at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, a site of major significance for Muslims. The fact that the wider site, known also as the Temple Mount, is dear to Jews as well as Christians, requires that the three faiths reaffirm their duty of care towards its universal religious significance as well as towards each other at this difficult time.

 “The Board urges both sides to take immediate measures to de-escalate this confrontation and to facilitate access for worshippers as the Holy Month of Ramadan draws to a close. The Board calls on all sides to uphold and respect religious sites. The Board calls on all leaders to speak out against hate speech and acts of violence and incitement, and to condemn and combat every attempt to inflame interreligious tensions to spark conflict. 

“The universal historic and spiritual significance of this site should stand as a symbol of religious unity in diversity, and not a focus for violence and division.  It should inspire us to find and nurture those values common to all the faiths – values of peace, tolerance and understanding.”