Muslims want SA to cut ties with Israel - thousands march

The Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa is demanding that government cut all diplomatic ties with Israel and expel the Israeli ambassador from the country.

On Wednesday more than 4‚000 members of the Muslim community and other dignitaries including‚ Mandla Mandela‚ took to the streets of Cape Town to protest the securitisation of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

The protesters embarked on a march from the Zinatul Islam mosque in District Six to parliament‚ where a memorandum addressed to the minister of international relations was handed over.

The MJC wants government to close the Israeli embassy immediately for what it called "continuous desecrations" on the Muslim holy site in Israel.

On July 14‚ two Israeli security officers were gunned down at the site by Israeli Arab gunmen. The Israeli government then moved to secure the compound and introduced strict security measures and installed metal detectors.

The move angered large sections of the international Muslim community and led to ongoing violent clashes at the site.

Former MJC president Sheihk Ebrahim Gabriels said the march was done to show solidarity with the people of Palestine.

"We want the world to know that al-Aqsa is not only sacred to Palestinians but to every Muslim and that's why we are here."

In a statement sent out on Monday the MJC called the occupation of the mosque a "crime against humanity"