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Crimes against Islam |
- The Beisan
Municipality Expropriates the Mosque
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Sheikh Saadedin Al-Alami, the Mufti of Jerusalem, sent a telegram on
24 April, 1987 to Yitzhak Shamir and expressed his protest and
indignation that the Municipality of Beisan had expropriated the
Mosque in the town, closed it to Muslim worshippers from the Bedouin
tribes around the city, with the intention of turning it into a
Museum.
The Mufti of Jerusalem visited the town of Beisan accompanied by 20
of his followers. They were received by a delegation from the
Bedouins. When they proceeded to the Mosque in order to pray, they
found that it was closed. Sheikh Al-Alami declared it shameful to
close a Muslim Mosque and prevent the worshippers from entering. He
stated that a democratic state would not forbid praying in the Holy
Places.
Jewish Extremists Evicted From Al Aqsa
Ultra-religious extremists from the Temple Mount Faithful tried to
perform Jewish prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem April 15, 1987
provoking Muslims and Waqf officials in Jerusalem.
Muslims oppose holding non-Muslim prayers at Al Aqsa Mosque. They
consider it a sacrilege and an infringement on their exclusive right
to the holy Muslim shrine.
Under pressure from the Israeli authorities, Waqf officials have
permitted visits to the Mosque by tourists, as well as extremists.
The Waqf remain adamant, however, in opposing the performance of
Jewish prayers in the Islamic mosque.
At 9:30 a.m., the police at Bab al-Magharbeh (the entrance to the Al
Aqsa compound near Jerusalem’s Dung Gate) began to permit Gershon
Solomon, head of the Temple Mount Faithful, and his followers to
visit the mosque. Seven people at a time were permitted to enter the
compound. Non-Muslim prayers were prohibited.
At 10:30 one of the group began performing Jewish prayers; another
used a loudspeaker to call upon Jews to assemble and perform
prayers. The visitors carried placards stating that they had the
right to pray at a mosque, which they call the Temple Mount, on
Jewish holidays.
In response, Waqf officials ordered the Mosque’s gates closed. The
officials then protested to the Israeli police, who stopped the
visits.
Hashem Ashayer, the Waqf director, said, “What happened is
unacceptable. We do not tolerate Jewish prayers in the mosque. No
Muslim can accept the desecration of holy places.”
The Israeli Mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek, expressed his anger
because the police had not consulted with the municipality before
permitting the extremists to visit the mosque. He said that the
police permission was an error.
Over the past years, the extremists have been trying, without
success, to establish a precedent by performing Jewish prayers in
the Mosque.
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