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| Mosques
and churches targeted by Israel
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Report
By Awad Al Rajoub, IOL Palestine Correspondent
AL
KHALIL (Hebron), July 3 (IslamOnline) – Ever since the start of its
wide-scale military offensives on the Palestinian territories three
months ago, the Israeli occupation army has launched a campaign
against the places of worship as well as Muslim and Christian
organizations, and have arrested several of those in charge there.
Israeli
forces have bombed mosques and churches and have stormed dozens of
charity organizations, confiscating or destroying parts of their
properties. They have also abducted several officials working in these
organizations,
Israeli
forces recently abducted Sheikh Adel Al-Jindi, head of the Islamic
charity organization in Al-Khalil, one of the largest Palestinian
charity organizations. Azam Hassouna, head of the Muslim youth
organization in Al-Khalil was also abducted.
The
Israeli forces have also barred the mosques from raising the Azan
(call for prayers) during a curfew, and the Friday sermons in nearly
80 per cent of mosques in the West Bank have been barred with several
imams and orators abducted by the Israeli forces. Mosque equipment
have also been confiscated.
The
same goes for churches which have not been allowed to ring their bells
or carry out their prayers in Bethlehem most of the times.
Raed
Salah, head of the Islamic movement in the Palestinian lands, said
that what is happening is above any “divine law or human
tradition.”
Speaking
to IslamOnline, he said that the Israeli occupation forces are doing
as they wish in the West Bank and Gaza Strip without any legal
deterrent and see themselves as above any law.
“This
is getting worse day after day. Life in the West Bank and some parts
of Gaza is paralyzed and it is clear that these barbaric conducts have
caused hunger, constant siege and a total paralysis of life, including
barring residents from reaching their mosques to call for prayer and
pray,” he said.
He
added it is sad that all this happens as the Arab and Muslim world
watches silently as if everything is normal.
Regarding
what the Islamic movement did regarding this problem, Salah said:
“We have formed a committee for Humanitarian Relief, including a
number of organizations concerned with relief, human rights, maternity
and children as well as media. We have also rebuilt a number of
mosques which have been destroyed.”
Anthony
Salman, lawyer and head of the Antoine Lahd Charity Association in
Bethlehem, said that the Israeli forces have been barring residents
from going to the churches in their neighborhoods to pray.
“No
resident, during curfew hours, is able to leave his home. That’s why
we are unable to pray in churches,” he told IslamOnline.
Salman
added that the occupation army has no ethical or religious deterrent
as it has bombed the church of the Nativity and other churches in
Bethlehem as well as a number of mosques. He added that these forces
are against all religions.
Salman
called upon those with “conscience” and “decision makers of the
world” to hasten to rescue the holy shrines in Palestine and
to take the necessary procedures to bring life back to normal.
Sheikh
Tayseer Al-Tamimi, deputy supreme judge in Palestine, said that the
Israeli forces have doubled their operations against the Palestinians
since the latest address given by U.S. president George W. Bush.
“Bush’s
speech has given Sharon the green light to bomb Palestinian
territories, place Palestinians under siege, reoccupy all lands,
enforce collective punishments and to ruin all Palestinian Authority
institutions,” Al-Tamimi said.
Regarding
the Israeli war against mosques, Al-Tamimi said that the army has been
shutting the doors of mosques and barring worshippers from entering
during curfew. In Jerusalem, the siege has been tightened around the
city, barring the Palestinians, even those residing in Jerusalem, from
reaching the Al- Aqsa Mosque.
The
Israeli forces have also barred prayers from being held in the
Ibraheemy Mosque in the old village of Al-Khalil, Al-Tamimi
added.
Yousuf
Salama from Al-Khalil said that he always used to pray in the mosque,
but now he is unable to do so. “We used to pray during the day
without any hassles; now, we don’t’ even hear the azan,” he
said, adding that “occupation forces have there have imposed a
curfew, and even if there is no curfew, they watch the residents and
wait for them in public areas to abduct them.”
