[ 16/09/2009 - 11:48 AM ]
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied lands Sheikh Ra’ed Salah called for forming a religious, social and political authority referred to by all Palestinian citizens in occupied Jerusalem.
Sheikh Salah said in a press statement published Wednesday by Palestine newspaper that the aim of this authority is to face Zionist schemes and to form a line of defense for all holy places in the holy city.
He underlined that the current Israeli government is characterized by its political insanity and thus it seeks to divide the Aqsa Mosque and establish the alleged temple through starting to take control of the Mosque’s gates.
“After the seizure of the Maghareba gate which overlooks Al-Buraq wall, Jewish extremists tried to take control of Al-Sahera gate through changing its locks, but the attention of Awqaf prevented the implementation of this dreadful scheme,” the Palestinian leader noted.
In the same context, the Movement of Hamas invited Tuesday the Palestinian people in the West Bank and 1948 occupied lands to attend night prayers in the Aqsa Mosque.
“In order for the Aqsa Mosque to remain present in our hearts and minds, and in order to teach our sons and daughters that we never forget Al-Masra (The night journey of prophet Mohammed to the Aqsa Mosque), the least we can do is to revive night prayers inside the holy Aqsa Mosque and under its blessed olive trees,” Hamas said in a statement.
In a new development, a number of Palestinian citizens in the Old City in Jerusalem reported that the Israeli occupation authority has stepped up the presence of its troops and policemen inside Jerusalem and the Old City and intensified inspection procedures against the Palestinians in checkpoints and mobile barriers on the occasion of Laylat Al-Qadr or Night of Revelation observed nowadays by the Muslims in the city.
Abu Halabiya: Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque at serious risk 300,000 worshippers attend night prayers
[ 17/09/2009 - 10:26 AM ]
GAZA, (PIC)-- Palestinian lawmaker and head of Al-Quds international institution – Gaza branch Dr. Ahmed Abu Halabiya warned Wednesday that the occupied city of Jerusalem, the Aqsa Mosque and the other holy places are at serious risk that requires immediate action to save them.
Dr. Abu Halabiya, on the occasion of the international day of Jerusalem, called on all Arabs and Muslims to provide every kind of support to strengthen the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the occupied holy lands.
He called for initiating an intensive media campaign in all Arab and Muslim countries to expose the ongoing Israeli violations committed against Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque.
The lawmaker also stressed the importance of assigning a committee of Arab and Muslim lawyers around the world to file lawsuits against Israel for committing war crimes inside the holy city and under the Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards.
Meanwhile, about 300,000 Palestinians, mostly from Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied lands attended on Wednesday Laylat Al-Qadr prayers (the night of 27th of Ramadan) in the Aqsa Mosque.
For its part, the Aqsa foundation distributed more than 40,000 meals to the fasting people in the holy Mosque, while Al-Bayarek foundation afforded about 250 buses to transport Palestinian worshipers from different areas in the 1948 occupied lands to the Mosque.
The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) intensified the presence of its troops and policemen throughout Jerusalem and imposed restrictions on the movement of Palestinians who wanted to reach the Aqsa Mosque especially those who came from West Bank areas.
It was also reported that IOF troops kidnapped on Wednesday four Palestinian young men during a raid on the neighborhood of Wadi Hilwa in Silwan town, south of the Aqsa Mosque.
DYING TO PRAY
September 15, 2009 at 4:43 am (Human Rights, Israel, Occupation, Palestine, Soldier Brutality, zionist harassment)
Mosque-Veto
A crowd of several thousand had gathered from 2am, hoping to be among the lucky few admitted to the third holiest Muslim shrine in the world. Israeli rules dictated that entrance would be limited to men over 50 and women over 45, but even these worshippers were restrained behind barbed wire fences as numbers swelled in the searing heat.
- Soldiers guard one of the lucky women to make it through
- Soldiers guard one of the lucky women to make it through
- Photo: Palestine Monitor
A trickle of fortunate Palestinians were allowed through the checkpoint, manhandled through a narrow bottleneck and given access to the mosque, but the vast majority would wait all day with no reward. Red Crescent paramedics were in constant action, dragging unconscious victims out of the crush into the nearby ambulances.
- Red crescent paramedics pull a woman from the crowd
- Red crescent paramedics pull a woman from the crowd
- Photo: Palestine Monitor
Despite their swift actions, not everyone could be saved. Paramedics confirmed that an elderly woman died of heart failure, after being confined for several hours. An angry friend and witness told us; “the soldiers were hitting us and kept us trapped here like animals. This is our mosque and we should be able to worship but we are forbidden. They are racist, they hate us and they kill us.” The witness, who is 46 and has high blood pressure, had been waiting to cross the checkpoint since 3am but despite meeting the age requirements was denied access to the mosque.
- An Israeli soldier watches the crowd
- An Israeli soldier watches the crowd
- Photo: Palestine Monitor
As soldiers continued to detain the crowds, desperation increased and several women attempted to climb through the barbed wire, sustaining minor injuries. People at the front of the crowd were forced back onto the barriers. The widespread discomfort and danger of the situation was ignored by soldiers who made no attempt to police the chaos.
- Worshippers forced to pray on a nearby pile of rubble
- Worshippers forced to pray on a nearby pile of rubble
- Photo: Palestine Monitor
The volatile atmosphere grew more poisonous as soldiers were seen to be laughing and mocking the worshippers. Several stones were thrown and more attempts were made to climb the barriers, all swiftly repelled. Crowds would not disperse until deep into the afternoon, but for all but a lucky few a sacred day of prayer would become just another of the insulting rituals they have become so familiar with.
No comments:
Post a Comment