Arafat's Mufti: No such thing as a 'Wailing Wall'

Jerusalem Post ^ | Dec. 13, 2003 | KHALED ABU TOAMEH

[yonif]

On the same day that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was quoted as saying that he recognizes Jewish sovereignty over the Western Wall, his mufti, Ikremah Sabri, said on Friday that there is no such thing as a "Wailing Wall."

In an interview last week, Arafat reportedly told Henry Siegman, director of the United States/Middle East Project of the Council on Foreign Relations and former executive director of the American Jewish Congress, that he accepts Jewish sovereignty over the Wailing Wall and over the Jewish quarter of the Old City.

Arafat explained: "My religion, Islam, obliges me to respect Judaism and Jewish history, whose prophets are revered in the holy Quran as God's messengers. While we insist that East Jerusalem be the capital of a Palestinian state, and that the Haram al-Sharif, on which are situated the two mosques, Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock, come under Palestinian sovereignty, we accept Jewish sovereignty over the Wailing Wall and over the Jewish quarter of the Old City. We accept this only because we recognize and respect the Jewish religion and the Jewish historical attachment to Palestine."

But the mufti, who was appointed by Arafat, told thousands of worshippers attending Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque that the Western Wall is part of the Al-Aqsa mosque and that it belongs to the Muslim Wakf (trust). "Seventy years ago the Committee of the League of Nations recognized the Al-Buraq Wall (Western Wall) as being part of the walls of the Al-Aqsa mosque," Sabri said.

The mufti pointed out that non-Islamic institutions accepted at the time the fact that the Al-Buraq Wall was a Muslim wall and attacked those who refer to it as the Western Wall.

Sabri's sermon was largely devoted to criticizing the Geneva Accord, which gives the Jews sovereignty over the Western Wall and the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.

He also took issue with the agreement because it relinquishes the right of return for all the refugees – an issue which constitutes the heart of the Palestinian cause," he said. "We completely reject this agreement and don't recognize it," he added. Last week the mufti published a fatwa (religious decree) forbidding anyone from giving up the right of return.

[yonif]

Arafat reportedly told Henry Siegman, director of the United States/Middle East Project of the Council on Foreign Relations and former executive director of the American Jewish Congress, that he accepts Jewish sovereignty over the Wailing Wall and over the Jewish quarter of the Old City.

When will the US govenrment realize that what these terrorists say in English is WAY OFF what they believe in Arabic and that it is NOT in Israel's best interest to have a "Palestinian State"?

[Monty22]

"Arafat explained: "My religion, Islam, obliges me to respect Judaism and Jewish history, whose prophets are revered in the holy Quran as God's messengers. While we insist that East Jerusalem be the capital of a Palestinian state, and that the Haram al-Sharif, on which are situated the two mosques, Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock, come under Palestinian sovereignty, we accept Jewish sovereignty over the Wailing Wall and over the Jewish quarter of the Old City. We accept this only because we recognize and respect the Jewish religion and the Jewish historical attachment to Palestine"

This idiot totally contradicts himself. If he respected Jews, he'd let them have the Temple Mount, not just what parts he doesn't care about.

[Maria S]

"Arafat explained: "My religion, Islam, obliges me to respect Judaism and Jewish history, whose prophets are revered in the holy Quran as God's messengers."

Arafat SHOULD respect Judaism and its history...the "holy" koran is the biggest example of plagiarism ever perpetrated on the world.

[MissAmericanPie]

The U.S. government understands all that perfectly. The only reason the political parties here have not sold out Israel already is because of the blow back they will suffer from Christians in both parties.

The Demonrat Party is doing everything it can to marginalize christianity in it's own voters and remove christianity from the public square. The Republican Party is following suit. Rove just visted evangelicals telling them Bush needs their vote. This after acting locking them up like idiot cousins in the attic for four years.

Evangelicals didn't turn out in mass for GB in the 2000 election, it may make all the difference in the 2004 election. Bush would like to stomp all over Israel, like he has conservatives but he doesn't quite have the nerve.

[Monti Cello]

This crap is so tiresome.

Israel has the capacity to defend itself. They have the capacity to tell the US to go screw off.

Apparently the status quo is preferable to the PC guilt which would incurred by solving the problem. More Israelis and Arabs will be sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.

It seems to me like someone who chooses a slow death by cancer because the operation would entail cutting flesh.

[LtKerst]

Israel should bulldoze the Filth from the top of the foundations a build the Temple again. Arafat is a lying murderer, and always will be. Israel should never compromise and never make another deal with that DOG.
Shooting him would be the compassionate thing to do.

[AIRFORCE76]

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[freeangel]

Let's first establish that there is NOTHING holy about the quran. It is an evil message practiced by evil or duped people.

[ChadGore]

Re:Israel should bulldoze the Filth from the top of the foundations a build the Temple again.

Agreed. I have a dream of the USS Cole tied up in the port of Tel Aviv, with the worlds largest earth mover as it's only cargo ready to clear of eye sores away for the return of the temple.

[Dark Wing]

fyi

[Maria S]

"Let's first establish that there is NOTHING holy about the quran. It is an evil message practiced by evil or duped people."

Yep!

[cookcounty]

" "Arafat explained: "My religion, Islam, obliges me to respect Judaism and Jewish history, whose prophets are revered in the holy Quran as God's messengers."

Say the whole thing, Yassir. You also believe the Jews and the Christians twisted the words of their prophets to their own purposes, and that the Bible is thus full of falsehoods and lies.

[Bringbackthedraft]

I wonder if things would have been different if Clinton hadn't kept Arafat waiting?

[Salem]

Ping!


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[Elsie]

Arafat SHOULD respect Judaism and its history...the "holy" koran is the biggest example of plagiarism ever perpetrated on the world.

Fast forward 1200 years to New York - Missouri - Utah

[rmlew]

I see no reason to piss of Mormons.
I don't get your beaf with the cult founded by Joseph Smith.

[Elsie]

I see no reason to piss of(F) Mormons. Muslims.
I don't get your beaf with the cult founded by Joseph Smith Mohammad.

---

Me neither....