Islamic-Christian committee: torching of mosque reflects racism of occupation

PIC

[ 18/12/2009 - 04:41 PM ]

Mosque's main hall, gutted by the fire

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- The Islamic-Christian Committee for the support of Jerusalem and holy places said that that the torching of the Grand Mosque at Yasuf reflects the extent of hate and racism of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people adding that this aggression cannot be viewed in isolation from similar attacks conducted by the extremist Jewish settlers.

Hasan Khater, secretary general of the committee, said during a visit of the committee's delegation to the mosque on Thursday: "while we stand here, in this mosque condemning this crime [the torching of the mosque], there are preparations being made by extremist Jewish groups to storm the Aqsa Mosque on Friday to mark their so called Hanukkah eighth candle."

For his part, Father Manuel Mussallam, head of Gaza's Roman Catholic community, said that an aggression against mosques is an aggression against churches, stressing that Palestinian Christians will not stand and watch the suffering of their Muslim brothers, as they are partners in their suffering.

Ibrahim Sarsour, head of the Islamic movement in 1948, stressed the need for Palestinian unity and an end of the rift to face this escalating wave of extremist Zionism.

A number of extremist Jewish settlers torched the Grand Mosque in the northern West Bank village of Yasuf and left racist graffiti on it walls and floors.