Jordan Times
Sunday, February 11, 2007
King strongly condemns
Israeli actions
By Mohammad Ghazal
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday
strongly condemned the Israeli actions against worshippers at Al Aqsa Mosque,
stressing that Jordan would continue its contacts with the Arab and Islamic
worlds and the international community to halt Israel’s excavation work in the
area.
The Monarch said Israel’s practices will only widen the cycle of violence and
hamper progress in relaunching the peace process, the Jordan News Agency, Petra,
reported.
In a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, King Abdullah voiced
his deep concern over the dangerous Israeli escalation against Islamic holy
sites in Jerusalem, stressing Jordan’s rejection of all Israeli pretexts to
justify its violations against Al Aqsa Mosque.
The Monarch stressed Jordan’s continued support to ensure the preservation of
holy sites in Jerusalem, chief among them Al Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest
site.
King Abdullah described Israel’s excavation work as a stark violation that
threatens the foundations of Al Aqsa Mosque.
Meanwhile, he said the agreement reached between Hamas and Fateh in Mecca was an
important step to stop the infighting in the Palestinian territories and enhance
the unity of the Palestinians to restore their legitimate rights, chief among
them the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
Abbas, for his part, commended the King’s efforts in defending the holy sites in
Jerusalem and his keenness to enhance the unity of the Palestinians.
Also on Friday, Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh denounced the Israeli
practices, saying they were a dangerous escalation that is completely rejected
and condemned.
He said if the excavation work is not halted, it will lead to more violence
which does not serve efforts exerted to put the peace process back on track.
On Friday, thousands of citizens staged rallies across the country to protest
against the Israeli actions.
In Amman, some 2,000 protesters marched from Al Faiha Mosque in Shmeisani to the
UN headquarters, carrying banners condemning the Israeli excavation work in Al
Aqsa Mosque.
Demonstrators at the rally, which was organised by the professional associations
and the opposition parties, carried pictures of the King, Al Aqsa Mosque and the
Holy Koran.
They chanted anti-Israeli slogans and called on Arab governments to halt Israeli
violations against the mosque.
“I am demonstrating to show my condemnation and rejection of the Israeli
measures against Al Aqsa Mosque… to show the world that we are against the
Israeli actions,” one of the demonstrators said.
He stressed that protecting Al Aqsa Mosque was the responsibility of all
Muslims, not just the Palestinians.
Addressing the rally, President of the Professional Associations Council Abdul
Hadi Falaht called on Arab countries to boycott the “Zionist state by
withdrawing their ambassadors.”
Falahat, head of the Jordanian Agricultural Association, also called on Arab
leaders to shoulder their responsibilities towards Al Aqsa Mosque.
In Irbid, scores of citizens took to the streets across the city condemning the
excavation work, which they described as targeting the Islamic Holy sites.
They carried banners denouncing the Israeli measures in addition to pictures of
King Abdullah and the Jordanian flag.
On Friday, anger over Israeli construction near Al Aqsa Mosque erupted into
violence as Israeli police in full riot gear fired tear gas and hurled stun
grenades to disperse worshippers on the grounds of Islam’s third holiest site,
the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Protests spread across the Muslim world, with Arabs across the Middle East
demonstrating against the construction and Egypt, Jordan and Indonesia calling
on Israel to halt all work at the site, saying it could exacerbate Mideast
tensions, AP added.
In southern Lebanon, hundreds of Palestinians staged a sit-in at the Ain Al
Hilweh refugee camp, carrying pictures of Al Aqsa Mosque and chanting
anti-Israeli slogans.
Also Friday, some 3,000 Palestinians staged a march in Syria’s Yarmouk refugee
camp, the AP reported.