Muslims and Christians in Palestine Unite in Defense of Jerusalem

Wednesday February 21, 2007 14:16 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Muslims-Christians Meeting in Jerusalem

Sheikh Tayseer Al Tamimi, Islamic Supreme Judge and Attalah Hanna, Senior Palestinian Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in Palestine, declared yesterday the formation of a joint Islamic-Christian front for the defense of Jerusalem.

A meeting held at the Al-Quds University in Jerusalem was attended by Mahdi Abdelhadi, director of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA), Yousef Alnatshe, of the higher Institute of Monuments and Dr. Mohammad Alshalalda, Dean of the Faculty of Law. After the meeting a front was announced in defense to the Israeli ‘transformation actions’ in the holy city.

Sheikh Al-Tamimi pointed out that "Jerusalem is going through a genocide and that the Al-Aqsa mosque as well as other Christian holy sites in the city, have been exposed to transformation since the beginning of the Zionist project in Palestine”.

Al Tamimi called on the Palestinian people to unite around Jerusalem and its holy places to stand firm against any Israeli moves to obliterate the identity of the nation, emphasizing the fact that Israel has never abided by laws.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Hanna asserted that Jerusalem is in grave danger, saying “the campaign, which is targeting Jerusalem nowadays, is targeting all of us as the holy city of Jerusalem is one city and can never be divided, being an Arab-Islamic city that should be liberated from the occupation”.

“Israel wants us to form various sects; therefore, we are today unifying our efforts and our words by declaring one thing to the entire world, ‘long last Jerusalem as an Arab united city with Islamic and Christian sanctuaries”

Essam Aldeb’ay, head of the preparatory committee of the Palestinian Youth Parliament, spoke to attendees and said "both Muslims and Christians should stand united in front of the Israeli occupation, which has been seeking to desecrate Islamic and Christian holy sites”.

Israel have been carrying out digging and construction work around the Al-Aqsa mosque in the occupied Jerusalem, exposing the holy shrine to a possible collapse, The Aqsa Mosque is the among the Holiest Shrines for Muslims around the world.

The Israeli diggings have stirred up large-scale criticism overseas and inside Many countries and organizations have demanded that Israel halts the work, while scores of Palestinians have been wounded during protests over the past two weeks.

Sensitivity of the site has been a reason for several flashpoints throughout the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In 1996, 80 Palestinians were killed after Israel opened a tunnel there, while the current uprising broke out after the then opposition leader, Ariel Sharon, made in Sptember 2000 a provocative visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque’s compound.

jerusalem | holy sites | news report rami at imemc dot org