The accusation followed a series of measures taken by the PA against Hamas supporters and institutions in the West Bank.
It also came in response to the PA government’s decision to ban mosques from broadcasting recitations of the Koran ahead of the call to prayer by the muezzin – a practice that has existed for decades.
Hamas said the decision to ban the Koran recitation had been taken at the request of Israeli settlers who complained about the loud noise from the minarets.
“We warn the Fatah authority in Ramallah against waging war on religious people and institutions in the West Bank,” read a statement issued by Hamas. “Those who are waging this war on Islam and Allah will have to bear the consequences of their actions.”
The Palestinian premier said the call was to implement an Israel-U.S. draft, warning of attempts to impose normalization on the Muslims.
Haniyyeh said Monday evening during a rebuilding ceremony for the police headquarters in Gaza’s Shati refugee camp: “With the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan, the Fatah authority in Ramallah took several steps, including stopping the Aqsa mosque preacher, president of the Palestinian Scholars League, and parliamentarian, Sheikh Hamid al-Beitawi, from speaking, as they kept thousands of mosque speakers from speaking and giving religious lessons, and left around a thousand mosques without callers to prayer, imams, and speakers, closed a thousand centers for memorizing the Koran in the [West] Bank, shut down Zakat committees, and arrested scholars, and fired them from their jobs.”
“They will not strip the religion from the hearts of the people, and will not prosper in their war against Islam, because it is a war with Allah,” Haniyyeh said.
Bittawi, who has frequently criticized the PA government’s policies in his sermons, said the decision to ban him from delivering sermons was tantamount to a “declaration of war on Allah.”
The PA security forces recently arrested two of his sons on suspicion of supporting Hamas.
The sheikh, meanwhile, said he was not the only preacher who had been affected by the ban. “Hundreds of preachers in the West Bank have also been prohibited from addressing the believers during Friday prayers in the mosques,” Bittawi said. “The government in Ramallah wants only yes-men as preachers.”
Haniyyeh also denounced attempts by the Fatah authority in Ramallah to impose normalization of religion on the Muslims. “They were not content with normalization of politics but want to impose a religious normalization on the Muslim scholars by pushing them to visit the Aqsa Mosque while it is held captive.”
“Do not give in to this dirty war. Defend your religion and mosques. Go out to the streets and proclaim your rejection of these foul actions,” Haniyyeh said addressing the people of the West Bank.
Hamas sources said the PA’s Ministry for Wakf (Islamic trust) Affairs had shut down hundreds of centers for teaching the Koran in the West Bank over the past few months. The centers used to operate inside mosques, which are directly controlled by the ministry.
PA security officials said the centers were being used as bases and meeting places for Hamas supporters.
Hamas, on the other hand, said the centers had functioned as schools for teaching young men and women to recite the Koran by heart.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
No comments:
Post a Comment