19 mar 2015
A group of Israeli settlers entered the Isaac Hall inside the Ibrahimi Mosque, in Hebron, on Thursday under armed protection from Israeli forces, witnesses said.
Local sources said that guards attempted to prevent settlers from entering the mosque, but that the army facilitated their entrance.
Under an agreement with endowment officials, Jewish visits to Isaac's Hall are limited to 10 per year, Ma'an further reports.
The agreement came into place after a Brooklyn-born Jewish settler massacred 29 Palestinians in the mosque after opening fire at worshipers in 1994.
The Ibrahimi Mosque is known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, and is the site where both faiths believe the Biblical patriarch Abraham is buried.
Around 700 settlers live in 80 homes in the city center of Hebron, surrounded by nearly 200,000 Palestinians. The settlers are protected by the Israeli army in the tightly controlled city, where many streets are off limits to Palestinians.
Local sources said that guards attempted to prevent settlers from entering the mosque, but that the army facilitated their entrance.
Under an agreement with endowment officials, Jewish visits to Isaac's Hall are limited to 10 per year, Ma'an further reports.
The agreement came into place after a Brooklyn-born Jewish settler massacred 29 Palestinians in the mosque after opening fire at worshipers in 1994.
The Ibrahimi Mosque is known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, and is the site where both faiths believe the Biblical patriarch Abraham is buried.
Around 700 settlers live in 80 homes in the city center of Hebron, surrounded by nearly 200,000 Palestinians. The settlers are protected by the Israeli army in the tightly controlled city, where many streets are off limits to Palestinians.
27 extremist Jewish settlers stormed the holy Aqsa Mosque esplanades under tight security measures by Israeli police.
Local sources pointed out that 27 settlers stormed the Mosque from al-Magharebah Gate under tight security measures by the Israeli police along with heavily armed Israeli Special Forces which are every morning deployed in the vicinity of the holy site to protect settlers.
A Jerusalemite woman confronted the Israeli forces by chants of Allahu Akabar and holding the Quran while a policeman took photos of the woman, the sources noted.
The pace of settlers’ incursions into the Aqsa Mosque has been remarkably increasing in recent weeks especially on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Escalation of daily offences including arrests among Jerusalemite people and banning their entry into the holy city in addition to holding their identity cards at the gates of the Mosque has also been clearly noticed recently.
Local sources pointed out that 27 settlers stormed the Mosque from al-Magharebah Gate under tight security measures by the Israeli police along with heavily armed Israeli Special Forces which are every morning deployed in the vicinity of the holy site to protect settlers.
A Jerusalemite woman confronted the Israeli forces by chants of Allahu Akabar and holding the Quran while a policeman took photos of the woman, the sources noted.
The pace of settlers’ incursions into the Aqsa Mosque has been remarkably increasing in recent weeks especially on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Escalation of daily offences including arrests among Jerusalemite people and banning their entry into the holy city in addition to holding their identity cards at the gates of the Mosque has also been clearly noticed recently.
Hundreds of Jewish settlers at dawn Thursday stormed the eastern area of Nablus city under tight military protection and performed Talmudic rituals in the mausoleum of Joseph's tomb.
According to local sources, a large number of Israeli soldiers were deployed in and around the eastern area of Nablus before escorting Jewish settlers aboard buses to the mausoleum.
Several Palestinian young men from the area confronted the invading troops and threw stones at their vehicles, which led to the break out of violent clashes.
Groups of settlers visit the area of Joseph's tomb on a weekly basis at the pretext it is a religious Jewish site belonging to Prophet Joseph (Yousuf in Arabic), but the grave, in fact, belongs to a Palestinian figure called Yousuf Dweikat.
In a separate incident, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) kidnapped at dawn today eight Palestinian young men from their homes during campaigns in al-Khalil and Jenin.
In al-Khalil, six Palestinian young men were kidnapped during violent IOF raids on homes in the towns of Beit Ummar, Halhul, and Dura.
Another one received a summons for interrogation from the Israeli intelligence during the IOF campaign in Beit Ummar town.
In Jenin, the IOF kidnapped two others from their homes in the city and its refugee camp.
The IOF also raided several homes in Yabad and Zababdeh towns.
Dozens of Settlers Raid Muslim Monument near Nablus
Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed, early Thursday, the monument of Sheikh Yousef Dweikat, a local religious figure, to the east of Nablus, said security sources.
Protected by Israeli forces, several buses packed with settlers stormed eastern Nablus and proceeded to Joseph Tomb, where they performed religious rituals, triggering clashes with the residents, according to WAFA.
Soldiers fired tear gas canisters at Palestinian locals who attempted to prevent settlers from storming the religious site. No arrests or injuries were reported.
The site of Joseph’s Tomb is contentious. Palestinians believe the site to be the funerary monument to Sheikh Yousef Dweikat, a local religious figure, while Israeli settlers believe it to belong to the biblical patriarch, Joseph.
According to local sources, a large number of Israeli soldiers were deployed in and around the eastern area of Nablus before escorting Jewish settlers aboard buses to the mausoleum.
Several Palestinian young men from the area confronted the invading troops and threw stones at their vehicles, which led to the break out of violent clashes.
Groups of settlers visit the area of Joseph's tomb on a weekly basis at the pretext it is a religious Jewish site belonging to Prophet Joseph (Yousuf in Arabic), but the grave, in fact, belongs to a Palestinian figure called Yousuf Dweikat.
In a separate incident, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) kidnapped at dawn today eight Palestinian young men from their homes during campaigns in al-Khalil and Jenin.
In al-Khalil, six Palestinian young men were kidnapped during violent IOF raids on homes in the towns of Beit Ummar, Halhul, and Dura.
Another one received a summons for interrogation from the Israeli intelligence during the IOF campaign in Beit Ummar town.
In Jenin, the IOF kidnapped two others from their homes in the city and its refugee camp.
The IOF also raided several homes in Yabad and Zababdeh towns.
Dozens of Settlers Raid Muslim Monument near Nablus
Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed, early Thursday, the monument of Sheikh Yousef Dweikat, a local religious figure, to the east of Nablus, said security sources.
Protected by Israeli forces, several buses packed with settlers stormed eastern Nablus and proceeded to Joseph Tomb, where they performed religious rituals, triggering clashes with the residents, according to WAFA.
Soldiers fired tear gas canisters at Palestinian locals who attempted to prevent settlers from storming the religious site. No arrests or injuries were reported.
The site of Joseph’s Tomb is contentious. Palestinians believe the site to be the funerary monument to Sheikh Yousef Dweikat, a local religious figure, while Israeli settlers believe it to belong to the biblical patriarch, Joseph.
A large motorcade for motorbikes is expected to kick off Saturday from Jaffa towards al-Aqsa Mosque under the slogan “al-Aqsa is my responsibility”.
The motorcade is organized by a group of Palestinian youths in 48 occupied territories.
Hundreds of motorcyclists from different Arab cities within the Green Line are expected to participate in the event.
The preparations for the motorcade have been finalized, the coordinator of the event Sheikh Mohamed Ayyash declared.
The youths are looking forward to participate in the motorcade towards occupied Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque, he added.
The event aims to strengthen links with the occupied city of Jerusalem and to defend al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ayyash underlined.
The motorcade is organized by a group of Palestinian youths in 48 occupied territories.
Hundreds of motorcyclists from different Arab cities within the Green Line are expected to participate in the event.
The preparations for the motorcade have been finalized, the coordinator of the event Sheikh Mohamed Ayyash declared.
The youths are looking forward to participate in the motorcade towards occupied Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque, he added.
The event aims to strengthen links with the occupied city of Jerusalem and to defend al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ayyash underlined.
18 mar 2015
A group of Jewish settlers on Wednesday morning desecrated the Aqsa Mosque's courtyards under police protection.
Media sources reported that 26 settlers escorted by policemen toured the Mosque's courtyards.
The unwelcome presence of the Jewish settlers prompted Palestinian worshipers to chant religious slogans to protest the desecration of the Islamic holy place.
One of the policemen took photos of the Palestinians who protested the entry of settlers to the Mosque in order to arrest them later.
Meanwhile, Israeli policemen at the King Faisal Gate prevented a Palestinian female teacher from entering the Aqsa Mosque along with 10 of her students after she refused to hand in her ID card.
The Israeli police still impose entry restrictions on Palestinian women in particular at the Aqsa Mosque and confiscate their ID cards before allowing them in.
Media sources reported that 26 settlers escorted by policemen toured the Mosque's courtyards.
The unwelcome presence of the Jewish settlers prompted Palestinian worshipers to chant religious slogans to protest the desecration of the Islamic holy place.
One of the policemen took photos of the Palestinians who protested the entry of settlers to the Mosque in order to arrest them later.
Meanwhile, Israeli policemen at the King Faisal Gate prevented a Palestinian female teacher from entering the Aqsa Mosque along with 10 of her students after she refused to hand in her ID card.
The Israeli police still impose entry restrictions on Palestinian women in particular at the Aqsa Mosque and confiscate their ID cards before allowing them in.
17 mar 2015
Sign at the entrance to the al Aqsa mosque compound before the change
Judaism's accepted ruling that entry to Jerusalem's al Aqsa mosque compound – the site of the biblical temples – is prohibited to Jews is apparently softening following a concerted campaign by settler groups and so-called Temple Mount organisations.
The settler-affiliated news portal Arutz 7 reports that the sign in the entrance to the al Aqsa compound has been changed to read “According to Torah law, entering the Temple Mount area by an impure person is strictly forbidden due to the holiness of the site”. Signed by Israel's Chief Rabbinate, the sign previously noted entry was forbidden to every Jewish person, regardless of his religious state of purity.
Thus, Israel's official rabbis have apparently, if only indirectly, provided tacit approval for the entry of Jews and Jewish Israelis into the al Aqsa mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.
The change was done only to the Hebrew version of the sign – the English sign remains as it was.
Yehuda Glick, head of the Temple Mount Heritage Foundation, reportedly welcomed the sign change and said that “the revolution is at its height. Today we advanced another milimeter in the process” of encouraging Jews to enter the al Aqsa mosque compound.
Clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian Muslim worshippers in the al Aqsa mosque erupted in the second half of last year, following daily invasions of the mosque compound by Israeli settlers and right-wing politicians.
In November, Israel's leading ultra-orthodox newspaper called on Israel to ban Jews from entering Jerusalem's al Aqsa compound, known in Israel as the Temple Mount.Yated Ne'eman, a newspaper serving the Jewish ultra-orthodox community in Israel, published a leading commentary calling on Israel to prohibit the entry of Jews into the Temple Mount area.
“The Jews who speak of 'prayer in the holiest place for Jews' are not referring to prayer,” the paper writes. “They are presenting their political plan as a religious wish, and use their “teachings” as an ax to grind out political achievements. This is not a struggle for the right of prayer but a type of political demonstration”.
Israeli Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino publicly stated in January this year that Israeli public officials who enter Jerusalem's al Aqsa mosque compound represent a “security threat” to the state of Israel.
Prominent rabbis affiliated with the settler movement sent a letter to Israel's chief rabbis in recent months, demanding that the aforementioned sign be changed, as it has now been. Arutz 7 adds that Glick himself met recently with Chief Rabbi David Lau and the rabbi of Jerusalem to have the sign changed.
Judaism's accepted ruling that entry to Jerusalem's al Aqsa mosque compound – the site of the biblical temples – is prohibited to Jews is apparently softening following a concerted campaign by settler groups and so-called Temple Mount organisations.
The settler-affiliated news portal Arutz 7 reports that the sign in the entrance to the al Aqsa compound has been changed to read “According to Torah law, entering the Temple Mount area by an impure person is strictly forbidden due to the holiness of the site”. Signed by Israel's Chief Rabbinate, the sign previously noted entry was forbidden to every Jewish person, regardless of his religious state of purity.
Thus, Israel's official rabbis have apparently, if only indirectly, provided tacit approval for the entry of Jews and Jewish Israelis into the al Aqsa mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.
The change was done only to the Hebrew version of the sign – the English sign remains as it was.
Yehuda Glick, head of the Temple Mount Heritage Foundation, reportedly welcomed the sign change and said that “the revolution is at its height. Today we advanced another milimeter in the process” of encouraging Jews to enter the al Aqsa mosque compound.
Clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian Muslim worshippers in the al Aqsa mosque erupted in the second half of last year, following daily invasions of the mosque compound by Israeli settlers and right-wing politicians.
In November, Israel's leading ultra-orthodox newspaper called on Israel to ban Jews from entering Jerusalem's al Aqsa compound, known in Israel as the Temple Mount.Yated Ne'eman, a newspaper serving the Jewish ultra-orthodox community in Israel, published a leading commentary calling on Israel to prohibit the entry of Jews into the Temple Mount area.
“The Jews who speak of 'prayer in the holiest place for Jews' are not referring to prayer,” the paper writes. “They are presenting their political plan as a religious wish, and use their “teachings” as an ax to grind out political achievements. This is not a struggle for the right of prayer but a type of political demonstration”.
Israeli Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino publicly stated in January this year that Israeli public officials who enter Jerusalem's al Aqsa mosque compound represent a “security threat” to the state of Israel.
Prominent rabbis affiliated with the settler movement sent a letter to Israel's chief rabbis in recent months, demanding that the aforementioned sign be changed, as it has now been. Arutz 7 adds that Glick himself met recently with Chief Rabbi David Lau and the rabbi of Jerusalem to have the sign changed.
Extremist Jewish settlers stormed Tuesday the Aqsa Mosque from al-Magharebah Gate under tight security measures imposed by Israeli policemen and Special Forces.
Eyewitnesses said the Jerusalemite worshipers gathered to defend the holy site and prevent the settlers from performing Talmudic rituals at the Mosque.
The eyewitnesses pointed out that an Israeli policeman attacked a Jerusalemite woman because she chanted “Allahu Akbar” when a Jewish settler provoked her. The worshipers in turn confronted the extremist settler.
The Israeli policemen deliberately held the identity cards of some young worshipers until they got out of the Aqsa Mosque.
Settlers’ intrusions into the holy site have been increasing and carried out on daily basis. Moreover, the Israeli policemen guarding the Mosque’s gates have continued to hold the identity cards of the Jerusalemite women as they entered the site and only returned them when the women got out of it.
Eyewitnesses said the Jerusalemite worshipers gathered to defend the holy site and prevent the settlers from performing Talmudic rituals at the Mosque.
The eyewitnesses pointed out that an Israeli policeman attacked a Jerusalemite woman because she chanted “Allahu Akbar” when a Jewish settler provoked her. The worshipers in turn confronted the extremist settler.
The Israeli policemen deliberately held the identity cards of some young worshipers until they got out of the Aqsa Mosque.
Settlers’ intrusions into the holy site have been increasing and carried out on daily basis. Moreover, the Israeli policemen guarding the Mosque’s gates have continued to hold the identity cards of the Jerusalemite women as they entered the site and only returned them when the women got out of it.
16 mar 2015
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Monday that, if reelected, he will build thousands of settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem to prevent future concessions to Palestinians.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday's general election on a whistle-stop tour of Har Homa, a contentious settlement neighborhood of annexed East Jerusalem, the PM vowed that he would never allow Palestinians to establish a capital in the city's eastern sector.
"I won't let that happen. My friends and I in Likud will preserve the unity of Jerusalem," he said of his ruling right-wing party, according to AFP, vowing to prevent any future division of the city by building thousands of new settler homes.
"We will continue to build in Jerusalem, we will add thousands of housing units, and in the face of all the (international) pressure, we will persist and continue to develop our eternal capital," he added.
During the 2013 negotiations, Israeli officials announced, and, eventually, carried out in full force, plans to build thousands of additional homes in illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank, while continuing to further seize lands, demolish homes and agricultural resources and, thus, leaving scores of Palestinian families severely disenfranchised and without so much as a roof over their heads to shelter them from inclement weather.
Gazans were already surviving on a mere 8 hours per day of electricity when the Palestinian negotiating team finally resigned in protest, in mid-November. Israel, soon after, made quite clear its position on securing peace with Palestinians when Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, during a meeting with young Likud Party supporters, boasted:
“I was threatened in Washington: ‘not one brick’ [of settlement construction] … after five years, we built a little more than one brick…”
Asked about "peace talks with the Palestinians”, the PM reportedly replied, according to +972 online Israeli magazine: “about the – what?” to which his audience responded with a round of chuckling.
Critics of Israel's aggressively right-wing regime assert that such peace negotiations are simply used as a front for continued settlement expansion and military occupation, noting that settlement activity clearly increases during negotiations, while daily acts of violence against Palestinians, by both Israeli civilians and soldiers alike, remains as of yet unchallenged by the powers that be.
Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.
Israel refers to both halves of the city as its "united, undivided capital" and does not see construction in the eastern sector as settlement building.
Successive Israeli leaders have vowed that Jerusalem will never again be divided -- in war or peace.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday's general election on a whistle-stop tour of Har Homa, a contentious settlement neighborhood of annexed East Jerusalem, the PM vowed that he would never allow Palestinians to establish a capital in the city's eastern sector.
"I won't let that happen. My friends and I in Likud will preserve the unity of Jerusalem," he said of his ruling right-wing party, according to AFP, vowing to prevent any future division of the city by building thousands of new settler homes.
"We will continue to build in Jerusalem, we will add thousands of housing units, and in the face of all the (international) pressure, we will persist and continue to develop our eternal capital," he added.
During the 2013 negotiations, Israeli officials announced, and, eventually, carried out in full force, plans to build thousands of additional homes in illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank, while continuing to further seize lands, demolish homes and agricultural resources and, thus, leaving scores of Palestinian families severely disenfranchised and without so much as a roof over their heads to shelter them from inclement weather.
Gazans were already surviving on a mere 8 hours per day of electricity when the Palestinian negotiating team finally resigned in protest, in mid-November. Israel, soon after, made quite clear its position on securing peace with Palestinians when Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, during a meeting with young Likud Party supporters, boasted:
“I was threatened in Washington: ‘not one brick’ [of settlement construction] … after five years, we built a little more than one brick…”
Asked about "peace talks with the Palestinians”, the PM reportedly replied, according to +972 online Israeli magazine: “about the – what?” to which his audience responded with a round of chuckling.
Critics of Israel's aggressively right-wing regime assert that such peace negotiations are simply used as a front for continued settlement expansion and military occupation, noting that settlement activity clearly increases during negotiations, while daily acts of violence against Palestinians, by both Israeli civilians and soldiers alike, remains as of yet unchallenged by the powers that be.
Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.
Israel refers to both halves of the city as its "united, undivided capital" and does not see construction in the eastern sector as settlement building.
Successive Israeli leaders have vowed that Jerusalem will never again be divided -- in war or peace.
Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman
Israeli right-wing politician and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Sunday afternoon, broke into Hebron's Al Ibrahimi mosque. His provocative "visit" came to claim that the mosque had a Jewish identity, and counts as an election campaign for the Knesset elections coming in two days.
According to the PNN, Israeli forces around the mosque have tightened the security, closed a number of gates and blocked the citizens from entering, for fear of clashes.
Lieberman earlier stated that a speech to be given in Tel Aviv, today, should assure "destroying Hamas" instead of setting any prisoners free.
Hebron governor Kamel Hamid condemned the visit, calling it part of a "growing call for desecration of holy places and the creation of chaos," Ma'an News Agency reported.
He also accused Lieberman -- the second Israeli leader to visit the flashpoint Palestinian city this week -- of "sabotaging the stability that the Palestinian National Authority has created in the city."
Israeli right-wing politician and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Sunday afternoon, broke into Hebron's Al Ibrahimi mosque. His provocative "visit" came to claim that the mosque had a Jewish identity, and counts as an election campaign for the Knesset elections coming in two days.
According to the PNN, Israeli forces around the mosque have tightened the security, closed a number of gates and blocked the citizens from entering, for fear of clashes.
Lieberman earlier stated that a speech to be given in Tel Aviv, today, should assure "destroying Hamas" instead of setting any prisoners free.
Hebron governor Kamel Hamid condemned the visit, calling it part of a "growing call for desecration of holy places and the creation of chaos," Ma'an News Agency reported.
He also accused Lieberman -- the second Israeli leader to visit the flashpoint Palestinian city this week -- of "sabotaging the stability that the Palestinian National Authority has created in the city."
15 mar 2015
Israeli soldiers attacked, Monday, a 10-year-old Palestinian child as dozens of Israeli fanatics stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque yards, in occupied Jerusalem, and also assaulted a mosque guard while trying to stop them.
An employee with the Islamic Waqf and Endowment Department said the soldiers attacked the 10-year-old girl in the area between the al-Qibli Mosque and the al-Magharba Gate, as dozens of Israeli extremists stormed the mosque’s yards.
A local mosque guard tried to stop the soldiers and prevent them from further beating the child, but they also assaulted him before dozens of worshipers gathered around the soldiers while chanting Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest).
The Islamic Waqf Department denounced the latest attack, the daily Israeli invasions into the mosque quarters, and the continuous assaults against local worshipers.
On Sunday, a large group of Israeli fanatics stormed the mosque quarters from the al-Magharba Gate, under heavy Israeli police and army deployment.
The latest developments come amidst ongoing similar Israeli violations, and invasions into the mosque, especially by fanatic groups that are calling for demolishing it “in order to rebuild the temple.”
Israel imposes numerous restrictions on the entry of Muslims into the Al-Aqsa mosque, such as imposing a minimum age for entry, withholding ID cards, and continuously besieging it in addition to closing all of it gates while extremist Israeli groups stormed the compound.
The restrictions, and age limitations, differ between males and females, in addition to marital status and whether the person is a parent or not.
An employee with the Islamic Waqf and Endowment Department said the soldiers attacked the 10-year-old girl in the area between the al-Qibli Mosque and the al-Magharba Gate, as dozens of Israeli extremists stormed the mosque’s yards.
A local mosque guard tried to stop the soldiers and prevent them from further beating the child, but they also assaulted him before dozens of worshipers gathered around the soldiers while chanting Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest).
The Islamic Waqf Department denounced the latest attack, the daily Israeli invasions into the mosque quarters, and the continuous assaults against local worshipers.
On Sunday, a large group of Israeli fanatics stormed the mosque quarters from the al-Magharba Gate, under heavy Israeli police and army deployment.
The latest developments come amidst ongoing similar Israeli violations, and invasions into the mosque, especially by fanatic groups that are calling for demolishing it “in order to rebuild the temple.”
Israel imposes numerous restrictions on the entry of Muslims into the Al-Aqsa mosque, such as imposing a minimum age for entry, withholding ID cards, and continuously besieging it in addition to closing all of it gates while extremist Israeli groups stormed the compound.
The restrictions, and age limitations, differ between males and females, in addition to marital status and whether the person is a parent or not.
13 mar 2015
Palestinian Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs Yousef Adeis said that the Ibrahimi Mosque is a pure Islamic holy site that only belongs to Muslims.
Adeis strongly condemned leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett’s visit to the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil city Thursday evening under heavy security protection.
Naftali’s visit to the Islamic holy shrine along with several members of his party came as part of his electoral campaign, the minister said in a statement on Friday.
Israeli media sources have earlier quoted Naftali as saying during his visit “Hevron (al-Khalil) is the foundation for us being in Tel Aviv and Haifa. It's the city that gives us the moral right to the Land of Israel.”
Palestinian Minister of Awqaf warned of the serious implications of the exploitation of holy shrines in Israeli elections.
Such policies would drag the region into a religious war, Adeis warned.
He hailed the local residents for confronting the Israeli violations against the Ibrahimi Mosque, calling in the meantime on UN institutions topped by UNESCO to intervene immediately and put an end to “these irresponsible and serious practices.”
Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has earlier canceled his planned visit to the mosque in fear of a strong Palestinian reaction.
Adeis strongly condemned leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett’s visit to the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil city Thursday evening under heavy security protection.
Naftali’s visit to the Islamic holy shrine along with several members of his party came as part of his electoral campaign, the minister said in a statement on Friday.
Israeli media sources have earlier quoted Naftali as saying during his visit “Hevron (al-Khalil) is the foundation for us being in Tel Aviv and Haifa. It's the city that gives us the moral right to the Land of Israel.”
Palestinian Minister of Awqaf warned of the serious implications of the exploitation of holy shrines in Israeli elections.
Such policies would drag the region into a religious war, Adeis warned.
He hailed the local residents for confronting the Israeli violations against the Ibrahimi Mosque, calling in the meantime on UN institutions topped by UNESCO to intervene immediately and put an end to “these irresponsible and serious practices.”
Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has earlier canceled his planned visit to the mosque in fear of a strong Palestinian reaction.
Leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett stormed Thursday evening the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil city under heavy security protection.
Bennett's visit was unannounced for security reasons.
He desecrated the Mosque along with several members of his party and entered Yitzhak hall, which had been closed before Jews for almost a year.
During his visit to the city, Bennett, who is also the minister of the economy, met with army commander in al-Khalil Yariv Ben Ezra.
The visit took place just a few days ahead of the Israeli Knesset election and weeks after Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu announced his plan to visit the Islamic holy site.
Bennett's visit was unannounced for security reasons.
He desecrated the Mosque along with several members of his party and entered Yitzhak hall, which had been closed before Jews for almost a year.
During his visit to the city, Bennett, who is also the minister of the economy, met with army commander in al-Khalil Yariv Ben Ezra.
The visit took place just a few days ahead of the Israeli Knesset election and weeks after Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu announced his plan to visit the Islamic holy site.
12 mar 2015
In a move aimed at tightening control over occupied Jerusalem, the Israeli police opened a police station in Ein Silwan southern al-Aqsa Mosque in the presence of the Israeli Internal Security Minister.
Al-Bustan Cultural Center in Silwan said that the city witnessed an intensive Israeli military presence during the opening of the police station and scores of soldiers and intelligence agents surrounded the place, a helicopter overflew the area and a flying checkpoint was erected in Wadi Hilweh to search passing vehicles.
One of the residents clarified: "The station is a room that was used for six years as a community police station then it was closed for four years and now it is being re-opened after being rebuilt and enlarged." He pointed out that Silwan Elementary School is adjacent to the police station.
Jawad Siyam, head of Wadi Hilweh Information Center, said that the Israeli government is keen on establishing police centers in Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem to harass the residents and restrict their freedom.
"The community police station protected the settlement project in Silwan, and the police was always intervening in the social problems and passing on information to the settlers," Siyam said, adding, "The police station was primarily opened to protect the settlement outposts in the region.”
Siyam pointed to the fact that some settlement outposts in Silwan were converted into centers for the Israeli undercover units and Israeli intelligence where Palestinian children are detained and interrogated.
Al-Bustan Cultural Center in Silwan said that the city witnessed an intensive Israeli military presence during the opening of the police station and scores of soldiers and intelligence agents surrounded the place, a helicopter overflew the area and a flying checkpoint was erected in Wadi Hilweh to search passing vehicles.
One of the residents clarified: "The station is a room that was used for six years as a community police station then it was closed for four years and now it is being re-opened after being rebuilt and enlarged." He pointed out that Silwan Elementary School is adjacent to the police station.
Jawad Siyam, head of Wadi Hilweh Information Center, said that the Israeli government is keen on establishing police centers in Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem to harass the residents and restrict their freedom.
"The community police station protected the settlement project in Silwan, and the police was always intervening in the social problems and passing on information to the settlers," Siyam said, adding, "The police station was primarily opened to protect the settlement outposts in the region.”
Siyam pointed to the fact that some settlement outposts in Silwan were converted into centers for the Israeli undercover units and Israeli intelligence where Palestinian children are detained and interrogated.
