Tweet
Islam Online, UK
Sept 16 2004
Israel Moves to Drive Arabs Away From Al-Quds
Photo file of occupied Al-Quds
By Mohammad Yassin, IOL Correspondent
GAZA, September 16 (IslamOnline.net) - Palestinian experts warn
against Israeli plans to drive Palestinian citizens away from occupied
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) under pretexts of development, saying the Jewish
state's real motive is striking a demographic balance between in the
overwhelmingly Palestinian city.
Al-Quds Municipality has showed Monday, September 13, new plans for the
structural map of occupied Jerusalem, explaining population density
in the old city which affects the living standard and welfare inside
the city, as per the Municipality.
In a report published by Israeli daily Ha'aretz Monday, it suggested
decreasing that density as regards "all alleys", except for what is
known as "Jewish Alley", claiming the Alley had already been developed
recently and needed no evacuation of some inhabitants.
The Municipality further said it was ready to "compensate those willing
to leave their homes with alternative houses outside the Old City.
"Plans to evacuate the Palestinians living in the Old City lies within
the demographic struggle after large numbers of Palestinians moved into
the Old City as a result of the construction of the self-styled Israeli
separation wall two years ago," Khalil Tafkaji, a Palestinian expert
for settlement affairs told IslamOnline.net Wednesday, September 15.
Tafkaji said the return of some Palestinians to their homes the Old
City would lead the Palestinians to outnumber the Israeli settlers
living in the city.
"The return of Palestinians and restoring their old homes after they
were forced to leave them in 1967 means that the number of Palestinians
in the city would increase."
The Palestinian expert mocked at the Israeli proposals to offer
financial compensations and new houses for the Palestinians who leave
the city.
"There are no available lands for construction out of the Old City
as a result of the Israeli confiscation of 35% of Al-Quds lands since
the 1967 war."
Tafkaji said the Israeli governments had been adopting a constant
policy to evacuate the Palestinian citizens from occupied Al-Quds
since 1973.
"Struggle in the Old City is raging on even very small batches of
lands as the case with Al-Aqsa mosque."
According to Israeli estimates, there are 24,098 Muslims living in
the Old City, contrary to 2,408 Armenian Christians, 5,269 Christians
in the Christian Alley and 2,328 Jews in the Jews Alley.
Golden Opportunity
Dr. Ekrema Sabri, the mufti of Al-Quds, for his part, warned the
Israeli schemes only aim at grabbing lands of Palestinian citizens
in the occupied Al-Quds.
"As the Jews immigrate into the city, Palestinians are forced out of
the city, with the aim of affecting the demographic balance in favor
of the Israelis."
Sabri said the current developments on the world arena provide the
Jewish state with a golden opportunity to carry out its plans.
"Israel believes that world developments give it a chance to implement
its aggressive schemes."
Sabri maintained the Palestinians living in the city fight the Israeli
temptations to leave their homes, calling on the Palestinian Authority
to support the civil and humanitarian institutions in the city.
"If these institutions are supported, they can provide the Palestinian
citizens with all necessary services, and therefore they can stick
to their homes."
Al-Aqsa institution for Islamic sites preservation in the occupied
Palestinian lands, meanwhile, called on the Palestinian citizens to
support their peers in Al-Quds.
"This scheme clearly reveals the Israeli attempts to control Al-Aqsa
mosque and enhancing Jewish immigration into the city," it said in
a statement, a copy of which was obtained by IslamOnline.net.
The leading figure of Neturei Karta, an organization within the
Orthodox Jewish community which represents hundreds of thousands of
Orthodox Jews around the world, said: "We are in total opposition to
the Zionists' views of the destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is clearly
forbidden according to the Torah and the rabbinical authorities."
http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2004-09/16/article02.shtml
Sept 16 2004
Israel Moves to Drive Arabs Away From Al-Quds
Photo file of occupied Al-Quds
By Mohammad Yassin, IOL Correspondent
GAZA, September 16 (IslamOnline.net) - Palestinian experts warn
against Israeli plans to drive Palestinian citizens away from occupied
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) under pretexts of development, saying the Jewish
state's real motive is striking a demographic balance between in the
overwhelmingly Palestinian city.
Al-Quds Municipality has showed Monday, September 13, new plans for the
structural map of occupied Jerusalem, explaining population density
in the old city which affects the living standard and welfare inside
the city, as per the Municipality.
In a report published by Israeli daily Ha'aretz Monday, it suggested
decreasing that density as regards "all alleys", except for what is
known as "Jewish Alley", claiming the Alley had already been developed
recently and needed no evacuation of some inhabitants.
The Municipality further said it was ready to "compensate those willing
to leave their homes with alternative houses outside the Old City.
"Plans to evacuate the Palestinians living in the Old City lies within
the demographic struggle after large numbers of Palestinians moved into
the Old City as a result of the construction of the self-styled Israeli
separation wall two years ago," Khalil Tafkaji, a Palestinian expert
for settlement affairs told IslamOnline.net Wednesday, September 15.
Tafkaji said the return of some Palestinians to their homes the Old
City would lead the Palestinians to outnumber the Israeli settlers
living in the city.
"The return of Palestinians and restoring their old homes after they
were forced to leave them in 1967 means that the number of Palestinians
in the city would increase."
The Palestinian expert mocked at the Israeli proposals to offer
financial compensations and new houses for the Palestinians who leave
the city.
"There are no available lands for construction out of the Old City
as a result of the Israeli confiscation of 35% of Al-Quds lands since
the 1967 war."
Tafkaji said the Israeli governments had been adopting a constant
policy to evacuate the Palestinian citizens from occupied Al-Quds
since 1973.
"Struggle in the Old City is raging on even very small batches of
lands as the case with Al-Aqsa mosque."
According to Israeli estimates, there are 24,098 Muslims living in
the Old City, contrary to 2,408 Armenian Christians, 5,269 Christians
in the Christian Alley and 2,328 Jews in the Jews Alley.
Golden Opportunity
Dr. Ekrema Sabri, the mufti of Al-Quds, for his part, warned the
Israeli schemes only aim at grabbing lands of Palestinian citizens
in the occupied Al-Quds.
"As the Jews immigrate into the city, Palestinians are forced out of
the city, with the aim of affecting the demographic balance in favor
of the Israelis."
Sabri said the current developments on the world arena provide the
Jewish state with a golden opportunity to carry out its plans.
"Israel believes that world developments give it a chance to implement
its aggressive schemes."
Sabri maintained the Palestinians living in the city fight the Israeli
temptations to leave their homes, calling on the Palestinian Authority
to support the civil and humanitarian institutions in the city.
"If these institutions are supported, they can provide the Palestinian
citizens with all necessary services, and therefore they can stick
to their homes."
Al-Aqsa institution for Islamic sites preservation in the occupied
Palestinian lands, meanwhile, called on the Palestinian citizens to
support their peers in Al-Quds.
"This scheme clearly reveals the Israeli attempts to control Al-Aqsa
mosque and enhancing Jewish immigration into the city," it said in
a statement, a copy of which was obtained by IslamOnline.net.
The leading figure of Neturei Karta, an organization within the
Orthodox Jewish community which represents hundreds of thousands of
Orthodox Jews around the world, said: "We are in total opposition to
the Zionists' views of the destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is clearly
forbidden according to the Torah and the rabbinical authorities."
http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2004-09/16/article02.shtml