Tuesday 4 January 2011

Abu Shaar condemns $18 million mosque conversion

[ 05/01/2011 - 05:08 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Gaza religious affairs minister Talib Abu Shaar condemned Wednesday Israel for a multi-million dollar move to Judaize two mosques in the city of Jerusalem.

Abu Shaar, who is also chairman of the Jerusalem committee, called on Jerusalem Arabs to "remain stationed and confront the Israeli occupation". especially amid Israel's current Judaization campaign in the city.

Israel announced recently that it spent 5 million US dollars in 2010 to restore and maintain what it called Jewish holy sites in the Ain Silwan and Burj al-Nawateer districts of Jerusalem. The sites were actually mosques that were seized in 1948 and 1967 and later converted into Jewish synagogues, Abu Shaar explained.

The Gaza minister called the steps a blatant infringement on the history of the Islamic sites and illegal forgery of Jerusalem history.

On another note, Abu Shaar denounced Israel for the demolition of a shop and home in Jerusalem's northern district of Beit Hanina. The owner was identified as Naif Iskafi. The structure was allegedly built without permit.

Abu Shaar emphasized the need to defend the Jerusalemites from rising Israeli attempts to legitimize ejecting them from the city and change their identities.

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