Friday 22 May 2009

Al-Aqsa Facing "Real, Immediate” Danger


link

5/22/2009 05:28:00 AM Author Editor Publisher Hiyam Noir

Khaled Amayreh


20-ka-20.jpeg
Continuing Israeli excavation
threaten the foundation of the Haram al-Sharif and Al-Aqsa.


May 20, 2009

OCCUPIED AL-QUDS – Palestinians are sounding the alarm that Israel's continuing excavation works beneath the Haram al-Sharif (Noble sanctuary) in Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem) is posing a "real and immediate" danger to its Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine.

"Israeli excavations and continuing digging right beneath the Haram al Sharif’s esplanade have already caused irreparable damage to the stability of Al-Aqsa Mosque’s foundations," Sheikh Raed Salah, leader of the Islamic Movement, told IslamOnline.net.

Salah, who has been closely monitoring Israeli excavations in the Old City of Al-Quds for over 25 years, says Israel is paying no attention to protests by Arab and Muslim countries over the perils its digging poses to Islamic holy places.

In recent years, the Israeli government, in coordination with powerful settler groups, began digging an extensive tunnel network throughout the Old City.

Israel describes the tunnels as "tourist projects" that pose no threat to Islamic holy places.

However, Palestinians and some Israeli organizations, including the Israeli Committee Against House Demolition, believe that the ultimate goal is to create a subterranean access route to attack Al-Aqsa and other Islamic shrines in the area.

Last year, an Israeli lawyer representing the anti-settlement group, Ir Amin, revealed that government-funded settlers were trying to establish "irreversible facts" as part of a takeover scheme.

"I have no doubt that the Aqsa foundations have been greatly weakened due to these tunnels and other excavations," maintains Sheikh Salah.

"You don’t have to be a great architect to realize this. We have already seen holes and cracks all over the area."

A section of the Aqsa Mosque’s yard caved in last year as a result of Israeli excavations underneath.

The collapse happened near the Qaitbay fountain in the western section of the mosque.

The one-meter deep hole was viewed as an ominous harbinger for things to come.

A school in Silwan neighborhood also partially collapsed due to Israeli excavations in the area.


Demolishing Al-Aqsa

Sheikh Salah says he is completely certain Israel wants to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque.

"They want to do it in a way that would appear as is happening as a result of natural causes, such an earthquake."

Salah says that Israel has a "diabolical plan" and is acting on it while Muslims are still just watching and contenting themselves with verbal protestations.

"Verbal reactions won’t stop Israeli designs against Islamic holy places, especially the Aqsa Mosque," he stressed.

"We need a proactive stance by Muslim peoples and governments. Muslims must send an unmistakable message to Israel and its supporters that Islamic holy shrines in Al-Quds are red lines."

Al-Aqsa is the Muslims’ first Qiblah [direction Muslims take during prayers] and it is the third holiest shrine after Al Ka`bah in Makkah and Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

Its significance has been reinforced by the incident of Al Isra'a and Al Mi'raj — the night journey from Makkah to Al-Quds and the ascent to the Heavens by Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him).

Israeli religious leaders, including Knesset members, are making no secret of their schemes regarding Al-Aqsa.

The Temple Mount Faithful, an extremist fanatical group, is dedicated to the demolition of Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

The Temple Mount Institute, another extremist Jewish society, had prepared detailed plans for the rebuilding of the alleged Solomon Temple on the rubble of Al-Aqsa.

It has a large prototype of the temple, special clothes for its rabbis, special places for sacrificial offerings, incense chalice, copper vessels for meal offerings, silver vessel for wine libation and other offering implements.

No Exaggeration

In recent years, the Israeli occupation authorities have allowed Jewish extremists to pray inside the Haram al Sharif esplanade.

Muslim Waqf (religious endowment) officials have warned that allowing Jews to pray at the Haram is only part of the larger scheme to usurp the Islamic shrines.

"I think they want to secure a foothold, which they would later use to consolidate and expand Jewish presence," maintains Sheikh Muhammed Hussein, Head of the Supreme Muslim Council which oversees the Haram al Sharif.

"This is why Muslims all over the world, people and governments, must protest loudly this brazen and provocative aggression on the sanctity of Islamic sanctuaries."

Sheikh Raed Salah, who has dedicated himself to exposing Israeli schemes in Al-Quds, says Muslims around the world should realize that his repeated warnings are not at all exaggerated.

"When will Muslims come to realize that the dangers are real? When the Mosque is destroyed and the news of its destruction appears on Al-Jazeera?"

He had one clear message to Muslims and those who care about Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa.

"Only a genuine and fast awakening by Arabs and Muslims can help, and this is exactly what we are trying to effect."


Link: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1242759049454&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout

© Copyright reserved 2003 - 2009 PalestineFreeVoice
Intellectual Rights Retained

Israel marks "reunification" of Jerusalem + Pogrom "Mavet La`Aravim" (Death to the Arabs)

Israel marks 'reunification' of Jerusalem - 21 May 09:

"Israel is marking 42 years of what it considers to be the reunification [read: military occupation] of Jerusalem.

For many, it's a day of liberation, reinforcing what they say is their rightful ownership of land, even if it means forcing thousands of Palestinians out of their homes.

Jacky Rowland reports."



*Jerusalem day* in the old city of Jerusalem: 2008

To understand what's going on in this video, please read the following comments first.

"2nd of june 2008
get your own idea..."


Published Commentary on this Video:

*"The video at the YouTube link given above was filmed by an acquaintance of mine on June 2-nd, 2008, the anniversary of `1967 `reunification of Jerusalem` (read: occupation of East Jerusalem), which is officially celebrated by the State of Israel. The video shows how the right-wingers celebrate this anniversary in the narrow streets of the Old City, most of whose inhabitants are Palestinian. Among the slogans which they are chanting (in presence of police) you can hear `Mavet La`Aravim` which means `Death to Arabs`. For readers who do not know: people of this ilk are heavily subsidized by the State of Israel and are one of the tools of the ethnic cleansing policy in the West Bank."
* The Editor (VB)


**"In scenes reminiscent of what a Russian or Romanian pogrom must have been like, Israeli demonstrators in the Old City of Jerusalem marched through, chanting 'Death to the Arabs' and 'Arabs Out'.


The video at YouTube was filmed on June 2nd, 2008, the anniversary of the 1967 ‘reunification’ of Jerusalem` [read: occupation of East Jerusalem]. It is to celebrate "Jerusalem Day". And what better way to celebrate than to hold a demonstration in the Arab quarter of Jerusalem (or what is left of it).


The video shows how right-wing religious Zionists, such as the ones at Yeshiva Mercaz Harav, which was recently bombed in retaliation for their role in the settlement of the West Bank, celebrate this anniversary in the narrow streets of the Old City. Among the slogans they are chanting, in the presence of police who look on without a care in the world, is `Mavet La`Aravim` which means `Death to Arabs`. For readers who do not know, people of this ilk are heavily subsidized by the State of Israel and are one of the tools of the ethnic cleansing policy in the West Bank.

This is sourced from Occupation Magazine.

Dorothy Naor, an Israeli anti-Zionist, writes that:
‘The video won’t mean much to you if you are unfamiliar with the Old City in Jerusalem and if you don’t understand Hebrew. In both cases you will miss what the action is all about. So, let me explain. What you will see in the video is a crowd of gung-ho happy young religious idealists marching through the Arab quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Let me repeat, the Arab quarter. From time to time you also see Israeli police and barricades, neither of which stop the young men from progressing in their march and chanting. And what are they chanting at the beginning? "Arabs go home," meaning, Arabs get out (sound familiar? like ‘Juden raus,’ i.e., the Nazi’s ‘Jews out’? These young men indeed fit that much of the Nazi image well, except appear to be less disciplined). Following that, these nice sweet young bullies start chanting loudly in the Arab quarter (let me repeat: in the Arab quarter) of the Old City, "Death to the Arabs."
Ah yes. Brave New World. To whom will you belong?'

Contrast this with the annual demonstration of Israeli Palestinians on 'Land Day'. Then squads of Border Police, without fail attack the demonstration with gas, dogs and in the past live ammunition. Yet here we see Police nonchalantly fraternising with these racist maniacs. And that should tell you everything you need to know about the Israeli State and why it bears comparisons with the most anti-Semitic regimes of the past.


Tony Greenstein
Posted by azvsas"



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

No comments: