Occupation of Al-Aqsa Mosque a disaster, Muslim cleric says

Sheikh Raed Salah says during Islamic Movement rally, ‘Arab world must declare state of emergency due to occupation of east Jerusalem holy site, just as any nation does during times of disaster’

April 7, 2007

Roee Nahmias

The biggest disaster ever inflicted on the Muslim nation is the occupation of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement Northern Branch, said Friday.

Salah, who spoke during an Islamic Movement rally marking the birth of prophet Mohammad, said the entire Arab, Muslim and Palestinian world “must declare a state of emergency, just as any nation does during times of disaster.”

“Israel’s policy and security forces will never hinder our ability to protect Al-Aqsa,” he added.

Salah is currently being investigated, as per an order by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, under suspicion of inciting violence, racism, and rebellion.

The investigation began following Salah’s remarks during a protest held in Nazareth in February, as well as remarks made a week prior at the Temple Mount, regarding the Mugrabi Gate dig near.

Kamal Hatib, vice-chairman of the Islamic Movement, said during the event that, “Humanity has reached a high level of advancement in science and technology, but it is collapsing under the burden of materialism and temptation.

“Humanity needs the Islamic nation to deal with these flaws and rescue it from the calamities these temptations bring about,” he said.

Some 25,000 people attended the rally, which was held at a soccer stadium in Kfar Qana.

During his weekly sermon at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday, the former Palestinian mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Akrama Sabri, criticized recent attempts by Israeli right-wing activists to visit the Temple Mount.

“The processions and break-in attempts carried out by the Zionist settlers at Al-Aqsa will end badly,” the sheikh said.