QALQILYA,
West Bank, February 12, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) –
Anti-Prophet graffiti has been daubed by Jewish settlers on the wall
of a mosque in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli military source and
local residents said Sunday, February 12.
The
graffiti was first discovered by the mosque's custodian Osman Zamari
when he opened the building at daybreak, reported Agence France-Presse
(AFP).
"I
was opening up as I do every morning and I noticed this writing in
Hebrew," the 67-year-old Zamari said.
"I
didn't know what it was so I went to tell other mosque officials who
consequently protested to the local military authorities," he
added.
Palestinian
residents said the slogan written in red letters in Hebrew denigrated
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him).
A
Star of David was also daubed on the Muslim prayer place, they added.
An
Israeli military source confirmed the incident.
"During
the night, a group of settlers came to a mosque in the village of Nabi
Ilyas and sprayed the graffiti," the source was quoted by Reuters
as saying.
He
added that troops had quickly gone to the village to paint over the
graffiti, adding that it was not known who was behind the incident.
In
August of 2005, Jewish settlers dropped a pig head into a mosque in
Jaffa, wrapped by a veil on which was written the name of Prophet
Muhammad in Hebrew.
Last
September, twelve blasphemous cartoons lampooned Prophet Muhammad were
published in Denmark's mass-circulation Jyllands-Posten.
Reprinted
by several European countries, the cartoons triggered an uproar and
massive violent demonstrations across the Muslim world.
Muslim
scholars, organizations and leaders were united in condemning the
violent attacks against the embassies, and urged Muslims to display
restraint.
Protest
The
settlers' blaspheme drove scores of Palestinians to take to the
streets in protest.
Residents
of the villages of Nabi Alyas and Azzun shouted pro-prophet slogans
and clashed with Israeli police, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The
Israeli army said that three Palestinians had been injured when troops
opened fire towards a crowd of around 100 rock-throwing demonstrators
in Azzun, to the east of Qalqilya.
The
occupation army also said an Israeli woman was lightly injured just
outside Azzun when angry protestors threw stones at her car as it was
driving past.
Over
the past few days, Palestinians have staged massive demonstrations in
protest at the insulting caricatures.
On
Saturday, February 11, seven people were arrested by Israeli police in
Al-Quds (occupied east Jerusalem) as Muslim demonstrators set fire to
Danish flags during protests against the offensive cartoons.
A
team of European monitors was forced to pull out of the southern West
Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday, February 8, after their compound was
attacked during one of the protests.
