Jan 22, 2007, 10:01
Gaza - The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has scathingly condemned Sunday the Israeli occupation government for allowing fanatic Jewish groups construct a synagogue at one of the Aqsa Mosque's entrances that is located just 150 meters away from the Dome of the Rock Mosque inside Al-Haram Al-Sharief.
The Movement also held the Israeli occupation government fully responsible for the adverse repercussions that will result out of its decision to permit the building of that synagogue.
In a statement it issued Sunday and a copy of which was obtained by the PIC, Hamas urged the entire Arab and Muslim Ummah and governments to immediately mobilize their energies in defense of the Aqsa Mosque, and to protect it with blood and souls, describing the Israeli step as "new crime" against the Aqsa Mosque.
The statement added that what was noticeable in the event is the full Israeli official support to those fanatic groups through issuing them with the building permits to go ahead with their "serious" plans.
In this regard, Hamas called on PA chief Mahmoud Abbas to boycott the Israeli occupation government, and to stop meeting any of its officials in order not to give them the political cover for their crimes against the Aqsa Mosque.
"This new Israeli crime against the Aqsa Mosque is a real test for Abbas' concern for the supreme interests of the Palestinian people, and a barometer for his ability to employ his political relationships [with international and regional powers] in service of the Palestinian national goals", the statement pointed out.
Yousef Rezka, the PA acting Islamic Awkaf minister, deprecated the Israeli step and labeled it as part of Israel's conspiracy to gobble up Palestinian lands, and to defile landmarks of Jerusalem city in preparation to Judaize the city.
The Jewish administration of occupied Jerusalem issued a building permit and signed all related papers allowing Jewish extremist group construct a synagogue in front of the Dome of the Rock Mosque which would distort landmarks of the holy city and the Aqsa Mosque.
"We were issued the building permit to construct a religious institute and private foundation that will definitely comprise a synagogue", an official in the Jewish group involved in the plan was quoted as saying.
Adnan Al-Hussiani, the director of Awakf (endowments) in the occupied city of Jerusalem, affirmed that Israeli settlers had presented the city's Jewish administration with a construction plan four years ago to erect a high building with huge dome atop of it in front of the Aqsa Mosque that, according to Hussianin, would have totally changed the landmarks of the holy city, explaining that his department opposed the plan.
For his part, Khalil Tafakji, the Palestinian plans' expert, revealed that since 1967, the IOA installed a settlement zone in Jerusalem city with a total area of 24 km sq., which, he affirmed, comprises almost 35% of the city's total area, and that there were around 70 Israeli settlement posts currently in city, adding that the IOA was demolishing Palestinian homes in the city and denying them building permits, while facilitating construction permits for Israeli settlers in the city.
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(Source:
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/am/p...le_21221.shtml)