IMRA Newsletter
Text: Arafat appointed Mufti sets the Scene to blame Israel for Collapse of Temple Mount
[IMRA: For years the PA controlled Waqf has been engaged in a massive excavation and construction program on the Temple Mount. The work, that has been carried out without supervision, has jeopardized the structural integrity of the Temple Mount (besides destroying artifacts from the Jewish Second Temple)]
Palestinian General Mufti Holds Israel Responsible for Partial Collapse of "Dung Gate" Road
www.ipc.gov.ps/ipc_e/ipc_e-1/e_News/news2004/2004_02/045.html
GAZA, February 16, 2004
(IPC + WAFA) [Official PA website]
His Eminence Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, the general Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, and head of the Higher Islamic Council, held Sunday the Israeli occupying authorities responsible for the partial collapse of the road that leads to "Dung Gate", one of the outer gates leading into the Holy Al Aqsa Mosque.
Speaking to WAFA news agency, Sheikh Sabri said that the Israeli excavation works around this ancient area have been endangering the structure of Islamic sites there, and that Palestinians have always objected to such excavations, knowing beforehand its grave consequences.
His eminence pointed out that the continuous Israeli excavations around and adjacent to the Al Aqsa Mosque, coupled with the natural factors, have affected the road leading to "Dung Gate", due to the weakness of the road's foundations because of the excavation works.
"If the earthquake that happened few days ago has passed peacefully, we are still afraid that the next one would be much stronger, which will mean that the structure of the Al Aqsa Mosque might not withstand such an earthquake, due to the discharge of soil around its foundations," Sheikh Sabri said, holding Israel responsible for the current and future consequences their acts might bring.
Sheikh Sabri called on the Arab and Islamic states to swiftly intervene and protect the Al Aqsa Mosque, as well as other Islamic holy sites, from being meddled with. He explained that the key of "Dung Gate" was taken by the Israeli forces in 1967, and has been in their possession ever since, despite frequent demands of returning it to the Ministry of Waqf and Islamic Affairs, which means that the Ministry would not be able to renovate the collapsed road.
"We have warned many times of the grave consequences of these excavations, especially that the Israeli government and the extremist Jewish organizations do not hide their intentions of wanting to demolish the Al Aqsa Mosque, and that these excavations are means to achieve that goal," Sheikh Sabri asserted in a phone call with WAFA News Agency.
His eminence sent an outcry to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Jerusalem Committee, the League of Arab States and the UNESCO, to urgently interfere and stop the Israeli government's aggression on the Al Aqsa Mosque, affirming the need to convene an urgent Islamic summit meeting to discuss the dangers surrounding the Al Aqsa Holy Mosque.