Jordan Times
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Kingdom condemns 'provocative'
Israeli plan for West Bank sites
By Hani Hazaimeh
AMMAN - The government condemns Israel’s “provocative, unilateral measure” to
include two flashpoint religious shrines in the occupied West Bank on a list of
national heritage sites, a senior government official said yesterday.
Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Government
Spokesperson Nabil Sharif said yesterday that Jordan rejects any unilateral
Israeli measures, particularly those pertaining to holy sites in the occupied
territories, adding that these provoke the sentiments of millions of Muslims
around the world.
News agencies quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying in a
statement Sunday that he hoped to include Hebron’s Al Ibrahimi Mosque, which
Israel calls Tomb of the Patriarchs, and Bethlehem’s Bilal Ben Rabah Mosque, or
Rachel’s Tomb, in a $100 million plan.
Israeli media have reported that the two sites had been included in the plan
only after pressure from nationalist ministers in Netanyahu’s government.
“We demand that Israel reverse its plan, for it takes us further away from
creating a suitable environment for peace and trust,” Sharif said.
The Islamist movement in Jordan also condemned the decision, calling for
forceful official and popular action in protest.
“Holy sites are worth more to us than our lives and money, which we are ready to
sacrifice for the sake of Islam,” said Ishaq Farhan, secretary general of the
Islamic Action Front (IAF).
The IAF leader called on the Arab countries to adopt a tough position against
Israel during the upcoming summit in Libya.
“This action requires an immediate response from Arabs and Muslims from around
the world,” said Farhan, calling on the government to sever ties with Israel.
“We have to respond in an aggressive and strong way to stop Israel from
continuing with their actions and other measures they are taking in the occupied
Palestinian territories,” he told The Jordan Times.
“People should not be acting softly on this grave action; otherwise Israel will
forge ahead with its agenda to take complete control over Jerusalem and other
holy sites,” he warned.
Meanwhile, a general strike was carried out in Hebron on Monday in protest
against the Israeli plans, and clashes broke out between Palestinians and
Israeli soldiers, Hebron’s former governor Arif Jaabari told The Jordan Times
yesterday, adding that Israel has been targeting the Ibrahimi Mosque since the
1994 massacre when Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli, gunned down 29 Palestinians
praying at the mosque in Hebron.
“We were surprised by Netanyahu’s announcement. But this is not the first time
as they have tried several times before to ban the call for prayer or prevent
citizens from entering the mosque to perform their prayers,” said Jaabari, who
is a former secretary general of Palestinian ministry of awqaf.
Jaabari expressed fears that the Israeli step might pave the way for similar
measures with regards to Al Aqsa Mosque, calling on Arab and Muslim countries to
take action before it is too late.
“Israel’s provocative plan is harmful to peace efforts in the region and will
only anger millions of Muslims around the world,” Jaabari said, adding that the
Israeli measure violates the teachings of all religions and is another link in
the Israeli “chain of aggression” against Islamic shrines in an attempt to bring
them under their control.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement that the decision was an
attempt by Netanyahu’s government to “wreck international efforts aimed at
returning to [peace] talks”, which were suspended over a year ago, according to
Reuters.
Azzam Khatib, director of the Islamic Awqaf Department in Jerusalem, told The
Jordan Times the Israeli decision is an encroachment on the Palestinian
Authority’s jurisdiction, stressing that the maintenance and renovation of
religious shrines in the West Bank is the responsibility of the PA.
Khatib, who was director of the Islamic Awqaf in Hebron in 1986 before His
Majesty the late King Hussein decided to disengage administrative and legal ties
with the West Bank, said renovation works are being carried out on a regular
basis.
Rachel’s Tomb, which is revered by Jews as the gravesite of the matriarch
Rachel, is guarded by Israeli soldiers and surrounded by a fence.
Some 400 Jewish settlers live in heavily guarded enclaves in the city, which is
also home to some 150,000 Palestinians.
“This particular violation is especially dangerous because it will add to the
religious component of the conflict in a way that might bring dangerous
consequences,” said Ghassan Khatib, a spokesman for the Palestinian government
in Ramallah.
Mohammad Ben Hussein contributed to this story.