The Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine to Al-Jazeera Net: This is how the occupation uses normalization and Corona to Judaize Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa

Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, the Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories, considers that the Israeli occupation halted the restoration work in Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, has negative effects on these historical and Islamic buildings to facilitate the plan of Judaizing them.

Hussein said in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net that the recent normalization of some Arab countries with the Israeli occupation is an implementation of the deal of the century and has no benefit for the Palestinian cause.

He asserts that the support provided by Arabs and Muslims to the Palestinian people cannot be compared to the uninterrupted flow of funds that reach the occupation to implement its settlement plans in Palestine, considering the Palestinians the loyal guardians of the land and the sanctity of sanctities, until God decides what has been in effect.

This is the text of the interview: 

There are Palestinian accusations that the Israeli occupation is exploiting the Corona pandemic in order to Judaize the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, after it recently stopped restoration work in the two mosques, is there evidence of that?

There is no doubt that the occupation took advantage of the Corona pandemic in restricting Jerusalem, the family and the Brotherhood in the city of Khalil al-Rahman, especially in the Ibrahimi Mosque, and it is clear through the occupation measures followed, and take the example that in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the people of Jerusalem and its suburbs, neighborhoods and villages are not allowed to enter the mosque And the Old City, with the exception of the residents of the Old City in Jerusalem, and this is in fact a siege not on the Al-Aqsa Mosque alone, but on the Holy City, especially the Old City.

This comes under the pretext of Corona and the precautionary measures to prevent the virus, but in fact of the matter and what we see in all the occupied lands, there is no tightening in the way that takes place in the Holy City, or the city of Khalil al-Rahman, and the emphasis is clear in the Old City of Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, there are many Of people reach the gates of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and return it under the pretext that he lives more than a kilometer from the mosque, which is the permitted distance to move during the Corona pandemic.

Consequently, there is no doubt that the occupation implemented its plan in light of the restriction on worshipers first, and the restriction on the Department of Islamic Endowments in Jerusalem and the Reconstruction Committee of Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the Reconstruction Committee in Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque, by stopping the required repairs, and these practices are unacceptable even if they are taken under the measures of the Corona pandemic And apply healthy instructions.

 What is the risk posed by stopping the restoration work in Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron?

There is no doubt that these are civilized, religious and historical places that were built long centuries ago, and the restoration, reconstruction and maintenance workshop must remain in place in them, as preventing their restoration has negative repercussions, especially in the winter season and water leakage that destroys the decorations and what is found in these mosques of the effects narrating the Islamic eras Successive and multiple Islamic history.

These places must be restored, and it is not permissible for the occupation to prevent civilians under occupation from practicing their worship with full freedom, or to maintain and restore places of worship, especially in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Ibrahimi Mosque, as the two mosques are for Muslims alone, and this history and the succession of facts against Muslims in these mosques testify.

Any attack on removing these mosques from their Islamic content and message is an aggression against this content and this message, and an aggression against the Palestinian people who own and oversee these sanctities, and continue their reconstruction by frequenting them for worship and with the required restoration and maintenance work.

It must be emphasized that the owner of the administration, supervision and decision in the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron is the Palestinian Authority, and in Jerusalem the Islamic Endowments Department represented by the government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which has the care and guardianship under the auspices of King Abdullah II in the care of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and therefore the restoration work is stopped By a decision by the occupation, it is interference, blatant defiance and aggression against the rights of Muslims and the authorities that supervise these sanctities.

Palace of the Mufti of Jerusalem Haji Muhammad Amin al-Husseini, the occupation seeks to convert it into a synagogue (Al-Jazeera)

How do you see the occupation’s intention to transform the palace of Mufti Amin al-Husseini in Jerusalem into a synagogue?

The occupation does not have the right to dispose of these properties, but as the Palestinian people and the world know that the occupation confiscates many places and lands in order to intensify settlement in all of the Palestinian territories, especially in the occupied city of Jerusalem, and this occupation completely demolished the Mughrabi neighborhood in the old city of Jerusalem. He demolishes homes in the city under false pretenses. He does not hesitate to annoy the palace of Mufti Amin al-Husseini, may God have mercy on him, and he is the one of this Palestinian and religious leader who lived in the nineteenth century.

This is an aggression against Haj Amin's property and the property of Arabs and Muslims in Jerusalem, and the occupation authority must be held accountable for it, because it is an aggression against the right of the Palestinian people and its leaders in the various stages, especially the stage of Hajj Amin al-Husseini, and it is a totally unacceptable procedure, a change of reality and facts, and turning the place into a synagogue Or otherwise, it is not permissible.

This building is completely owned by Hajj Amin and must be transferred to his heirs and the al-Husseini family, because they are its owners, and the occupation's confiscation of it is rejected by local and international law.

Jerusalem today is the title of the conflict through the displacement of its residents and the demolition of their homes. Do you think that the Arab and Islamic parties have played their role in protecting Jerusalem?

Jerusalem is the focus of conflict and the focus of attention, and it must be the focus of attention by Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims and all free people of the world, and with great regret that the Israeli occupation is making every effort to change the Islamic and Arab character of the holy city.

This is evidenced by the projects carried out by the occupation, the first of these settlement projects, and the attempts to change the historical structure and establish entire Jewish neighborhoods as is the case in the so-called City of David, the Holy Basin and other Judaizing designations, in a race against time in order to Judaize the city.

At this time, we do not find an Arab position constantly supporting the preservation of the city with its Arab and Islamic civilization. On the contrary, the positions of some Arab countries are retreating, and all this is reflected in the conditions of the Holy City and encourages the occupation to put more pressure on the people of the city to leave it.

But the people of Medina are steadfast and steadfast, and in no way can they abandon their sanctities, nor their homes and possessions, despite all the difficult circumstances surrounding their lives there.

Of course, the capabilities of the Palestinians are limited compared to the occupation, and even the Palestinian Authority has completely limited capabilities, but the duty to protect Jerusalem is not on the Palestinians alone, whether formally through the Palestinian Authority or the Palestinian people, this is a religious, moral and contractual duty for the entire Islamic nation, including states. Arabic;

Which should rise towards this city and preserve it is an Arab Islamic city, because it is also a city that is considered the focus of attention of all the world, including Muslims and Christians.

The normalization of some Arab countries with Israel facilitates occupation plans in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa (Al-Jazeera)

In your opinion, has the normalization recently undertaken by Arab countries affected the city of Jerusalem?

The truth is that the agreements of normalization are agreements of shame that do not serve the rights of the Palestinian people or the Holy City from afar, and they are more Arab lethargy towards the occupation, which is daily tampering with Palestinian neighborhoods, housing, and citizens in detention and deportation.

These agreements, which they called peace treaties, came to save the so-called "deal of the century", which is to implement all Israeli plans in the city of Jerusalem with American support, and this matter is evident through the unification of Jerusalem under occupation as the capital of the Israeli occupation, and this exchange in embassies, culture and economy, and so on, It is all within this plan, and as for the Palestinian issue, it is completely absent from the ideas and programs of these printers or their name as you wish.

Do you think there is a comparison between the material support from Arabs and Muslims for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people under the occupation and its plans, and between what the occupation and settlers get to implement their projects?

Unfortunately, there is no room for comparison between what the Arabs and Muslims from all over the world provide to support the Palestinian people and Jerusalem, and the flow of financial aid for settlement and occupation, where billions of dollars are spent on many settlement projects.

What do you think of what happened in the shrine of the Prophet Musa - peace be upon him - east of Jerusalem, after a concert was held there, and how do you see the response of the Palestinians to the constant presence in the shrine to protect him from tampering with it?

Especially with the settlers' incursions into him and other Islamic places in Palestine?

There is no doubt that what happened is unacceptable, and all Palestinian parties vehemently reject any behavior of this kind in the holy shrine or other shrines, which are open to prayer and visitation, and their sanctity must be preserved.

The Palestinian Endowments took the initiative to appoint guards, an imam and a muezzin to hold prayers permanently in this place, and we thank all the people of Jerusalem and Palestine who went to inspect and rebuild this place in front of the settler incursions.

Those who storm either the shrine of the Prophet Musa - peace be upon him - in Jerusalem or the shrine of Joseph - peace be upon him - in Nablus, and other shrines in Palestine.

The settlers break into and attack the most sacred holy sites in Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Ibrahimi Mosque, and burn mosques and churches and attack their visitors, and this is the culture of the occupier and this settler who wants to empty the land of its residents, but this will not happen to the Palestinian people who are keen on their land and sanctities, and they mobilize themselves in all The times are in order to ward off attacks on these holy sites throughout the rest of the Palestinian Territory, whether mosques, shrines or holy sites.

The initiative of the great dawn to perform the dawn prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque and other mosques, I found great interaction from the Palestinians (Al-Jazeera)

How has the Corona pandemic affected mosques, and how do you view the "Great Dawn" initiative before the pandemic in which Palestinians revived their mosques with dawn prayers?

The Corona pandemic affected all aspects of economic, social and devotional life, including the reconstruction of mosques and seclusion in them. Certainly, the issue of health and the preservation of the human soul has priority, and it is a legitimate duty, because it is one of the five necessities that came to preserve and protect the objectives of Sharia, namely: soul, religion, mind, money and soul .

It is imperative to reconcile between protecting the human soul from the epidemic and holding prayers in mosques, so we have taken some measures, especially at the height of the spread of disease, and suspending Friday and congregational prayers to reduce the numbers and divergence, and then allow that from time to time, but the necessity is estimated by its extent, and we ask God Almighty God Almighty to heal this people and all the world and return life to normal.

As for the great dawn, it is a good initiative to thank those who called for it and participated in the construction of mosques in the Fajr prayer, and we ask God Almighty to raise this pandemic so that this interaction and the intense presence in the mosques will return not only in the dawn prayer, but in all other prayers.

 How do you see the crime in the Palestinian society in the occupied territories in the year 48, especially as it targeted high-profile Palestinian figures?

The crime is unacceptable wherever it is in the Palestinian and Arab territories, but what is striking about the crime inside the Palestinian territories is that the Palestinian citizens there suffer from an organized crime, and within one month dozens of people were killed, without reaching the killer or pointing the finger of accusation to a specific party.

This is the responsibility of the occupation - if it wanted - to stop these crimes at home.

It is noteworthy that these crimes are increasing even in other Palestinian areas, especially the bloodshed that we affirm the sanctity of, and the necessity of cooperation with all parties in order to reform and limit the spread of crime in Palestinian society, on the land of historical Palestine.