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Mks allege jewish pogrom as hundreds shout death to arabs extremist gang attacks al aqsa mosque
MAAN NEWS AGENCY
Date: 09 / 10 / 2008
Jerusalem – Ma’an – An Islamic charity is outraged that a "massive" group of Israeli settlers, rabbis and politicians attempted to break into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem early Thursday morning.
The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Islamic Waqf and Heritage claimed that Israeli extremists "carried out several failed attempts to break into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound" on Thursday.
Extremists shouted anti-Muslim slogans while others performed religious rituals in the mosque’s outside yard, Israeli police looking on and reportedly refusing to act.
The crowd of Israelis apparently began the rally by breaking through the Old City’s Mughrabi Gate before attempting to enter the mosque, foundation officials claimed. During the intrusion, members of the Islamic charity attempted to stem the flow of rioters by closing gates surrounding the area.
Witnesses told members of the Palestinian press that rioters numbered "at least 100" and that among them was a member of the Israeli Knesset.
The foundation called on Palestinians in Jerusalem—as well as those living in Israel—to immediately race to the Old City in order to protect the mosque from more attempts expected throughout the night.
Extremist groups have tried for several years to break into the mosque during the Yom Kippur holy day, which began Wednesday evening.
The head of the Palestinian Authority (PA)’s Waqf Department denounced the incident in a statement on Thursday. Sheikh Mohammad Azzam At-Tamimi implored the Israeli public to respect Al-Aqsa as an "Islamic holy site."
The Al-Aqsa Mosque is located on top of the Haram al-Sharif, or “Noble Sanctuary," and is considered holy to Muslims. Israeli border security forces and Jerusalem police are tasked with maintaining security in the area, which includes protection from Jewish extremists.
Meanwhile, riots erupted in the Israeli town of Acre after Jewish youths beat a Palestinian resident just after midnight on Thursday.
Young Israelis reportedly assaulted the Palestinian man after he drove into a predominantly Jewish section of the city. Following the assault, other Palestinian youths arrived at the scene, touching off additional riots involving both Arabs and Jews.
The man was reportedly driving home moments before the attack that led two members of the Israeli Knesset to lash out at police on Thursday.
Member of Knesset (MK) Ahmad Tibi accused police of "hapless discrimination" for failing to protect Arab residents of Acre on Thursday. According to Hebrew newspaper Yediot Ahronot, Tibi also called the riot "a pogrom perpetrated by Jewish thugs against Arabs."
Dozens of cars and shops were damaged in the chaos, during which an Israeli newspaper said hundreds of protesters shouted "death to Arabs" and other derogatory slogans in mass rallies.
MK Muhammad Barakeh compared the36to the treatment of Jews during World War II, Ha’aretz reported. Barakeh told reporters that the riots on Thursday compared to what "Jews were exposed to at the hands of the Nazi gangs in Germany."
But police did arrest a number of suspected rioters, saying they plan to detain more. Acre’s police chief cited the involvement of "Jewish and Arab gangs" in the riots that started in the eastern part of the city.
On Wednesday, Israeli security officials went on high alert as the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur began, sources said. But the cause of concern was supposedly specific warnings in regards to attacks by Palestinian Muslims and Christians, not Israeli Jews.
Security officials had reported receiving specific warnings about Palestinians intending to kidnap Israelis and launch grenade attacks, in addition to dozens of other warnings threatening Israel, in general, during the Jewish holy day.
Wednesday’s reports over expected violence did not mention any preparations for attacks by Jews on Yom Kippur, or if they anticipated them.
But Israeli officers barricaded roads in the West Bank and erected blocks of concrete at entrances to the city on Wednesday, purportedly to prevent the movement of Palestinian vehicles.
Thursday’s violence against Muslims throughout the country seemed to catch Israeli police by surprise, though Palestinian officials insisted that such attacks occur annually. And Al-Aqsa leaders claimed Israeli soldiers could have stopped extremist attacks in East Jerusalem, but declined to intervene.
Why muslims should rethink Palestine
By Ramzy Baroud
(source: Ramzy Baroud’s ZSpace Page)
Thousands of faithful assiduously listened as I outlined the challenges facing Palestine and its people. Cries of ‘Allahu Akbar’ – God is Great – occasionally resounded from a corner of the giant South African mosque. Many whimpered as I described the tragedy that had befallen Gaza as a result of the Israeli siege. They cheered, smiled and nodded as I emphasized how the will of the Palestinian people would not be defeated. A few older people at the front simply wept throughout my talk, which preceded a Friday sermon in Durban a few months ago.
If passion and kindness were powerful in and of themselves, then the compassion that poured from those Muslim faithful could surely better the world in a myriad ways. The sheer love and concern displayed by men and women of different races, age groups, class affiliation and languages was most uplifting and validating.
As a collective, Palestine and its struggle for freedom and justice is closer to the hearts and minds of Muslims all over the world than any other group I have reached out to. To garner support among Muslims, one is never obligated to make a case, to justify, or to respond to accusations heralded from left and right. Needless to say, Muslim affinity to Palestine is historic, based on Islamic principles articulated in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah (the legacy of Prophet Mohammed).
South Africa skips Isarael conference
(source: VOC fm Online / Sapa)
Cosatu saluted the SA tourism ministry on Thursday for not attending a tourism conference to be hosted by Israel. “By its decision, South Africa now joins Britain, Spain and Turkey who have all refused to attend the conference,” Cosatu’s deputy international relations secretary Zanele Matebula said.
Matebula was referring to the 86th session of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Tourism Committee conference to be hosted by Israel in Jerusalem. The conference is set to take place between October 20 and 22.
Cosatu said the Palestine Liberation Organisation had joined a call by radical Sunni Islamist group Fatah, Palestinian trade unions and civil society groups for countries not to attend, citing Israel’s “illegal occupation”, including that of Jerusalem. Cosatu was informed that neither Tourism Minister Marthinus Van Schalkwyk nor his deputy would be attending, Matebula said. The office of the director general of tourism has indicated, according to Cosatu, that no representative would be attending.
Tourism ministerial spokesperson Trevor Bloem confirmed to Sapa on Thursday night that the ministry would not attend the event for “logistical reasons”. “Since resources and time are limited we have for logistical reasons prioritised and choose to attend some conferences and not others.”
The minister and DG had just returned from a conference in South Korea. The department had recently been to another conference in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, also organised by the OECD. Matebula said: “The momentum for the boycott dramatically increased last week when Israeli Minister of Tourism, Stas Misezhnikov, said attendance at the conference would be ‘a seal of approval on the fact that we [Israel] have a state whose recognised capital is Jerusalem’.
“No member of the United Nations (nor the organisation itself) recognises Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Even the United States, Israel’s unwavering ally, refuses to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.”
Matebula said the comment by the Israeli tourism minister angered the OECD. However, by holding the conference in the city, the OECD ignored the fact that Jerusalem was under occupation. Matebula said taking part in the conference would be a “tacit acceptance” of Israel’s “illegal annexation” of the city.