Jerusalem (UNA/WAFA) – The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, the preacher of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, condemned the crime of burning the “Muhammad Fayyad” Mosque in the village of Duma, south of Nablus, at dawn on Thursday, and writing racist phrases and inciting slogans on its walls, by a number of extremist settlers.
The Mufti emphasized that this is not the first time settlers have burned mosques, attacked and desecrated places of worship, most notably the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, which the occupation authorities continue to close, preventing Taraweeh prayers and Itikaf (seclusion for worship) for the first time since 1967. He pointed out that the continued closure of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan is a dangerous precedent and a flagrant violation of international law, international humanitarian law, the existing historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship..
He explained that the burning of the mosque in Duma is a new crime that comes within the framework of the Israeli policy of oppression and repression, and the attack on religious rites throughout the Palestinian territories. It is added to the series of crimes committed by the occupation authorities and extremist settlers against Islamic holy sites. All of this stems from the occupation’s systematic and dangerous policy of attacking holy sites and places of worship, thereby provoking the feelings of Muslims.
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