Israel To Claim Ibrahimi Mosque, Bilal Mosque, As Historic Jewish Sites

Tuesday February 23, 2010 08:43 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Bethlehem will be holding a general strike, on Tuesday, to protest the Israeli government’s decision to annex the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and the Bilal Mosque to the so-called ‘Historic Jewish Sites” as part of the Israeli “Heritage Trail.”

Bethlehem City - bethlehem.edu

The strike will include private, governmental and UNRWA schools, in addition to the trade sector.

The Palestinian Factions Coordination Committee in Bethlehem called for holding prayers at the Bilal Mosque in the city, next Friday.

The committee also called on the residents to participate in the Sunday non-violent protest announced by the Popular Committee to Defend Osh Ghrab in Beit Sahour town, near Bethlehem.

Similar to last week’s protest, the protest at Osh Ghrab will be held at 10:30 on Sunday February 28, at the site of the evacuated military camp on lands that belong to Beit Sahour.

The camp site was turned into a public park and recreation area, but now the Israeli military and fundamentalist settlers want to turn it, and surrounding Palestinian lands, into a Jewish settlement.

The committee stated that the Israeli decision to consider the Bilal Mosque and the Ibrahimi Mosque at part of the so-called Jewish Heritage Trail is yet another violation and aggression against the national and historic rights of the Palestinian people, their lands and their holy sites, similar to the violations against holy sites in East Jerusalem, and the Arabs in the city.

It called on the Palestinian factions to unite and to sign the Unity Document immediately in order to boost the Palestinian steadfastness and their struggle against Israel’s aggression and violations.

The Committee also called on the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and several countries to act for the protection of Muslim and Christian Holy Sites in Palestine.

west bank | holy sites | news report saed at imemc dot org