http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/763217.html
Last update - 23:48 15/09/2006
Islamic Movement head: J'lem destined capital of caliphate
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Islamic Movement leader Sheik Ra'ad Salah said that Jerusalem will soon become the capital of an Islamic nation and that Israel's occupation of the Temple Mount is nearing its end, Israel Radio reported on Friday.
Salah told a crowd of 50,000 people in the northern town of Umm al-Fahm that comatose former-prime minister Ariel Sharon and President Moshe Katsav, who is currently under investigation for alleged sex crimes, were "paying the price" for damaging Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque.
In his speech, the Sheik responded to Pope Benedict XVI's remarks on Mohammed, saying he hoped they were an accidental slip of tongue.
He also addressed the issue of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, urging Hamas not to agree to a prisoner exchange with the Israeli government which will not include the release of jailed Israeli Arabs.
Salah and three other Islamic Movement officials were held by police in detention for 21 months under suspicion of contacting militant Palestinian groups.