lennart
15-05-03, 13:41
Waqf director: non-Muslims must keep out of Temple Mount
By Haaretz Service
Responding to Public Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi's comment that the Temple Mount would soon be opened to Jews for visits and prayers, the director of the Muslim Waqf said that non-Muslims are not welcome there, Israel Radio reported Thursday.
"The Arab standpoint, the Waqf standpoint, is that there is no change in the decision of not allowing non-Muslims to enter the place," said Adnan Husseini, director of the Muslim religious trust (Waqf).
The Waqf has denied access to the Mount to non-Muslims since October, 2000, when riots broke out following a visit by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to the compound.
But while Husseini dismissed the idea that non-Muslims can even enter the Temple Mount, which is holy to both Judaism and Islam, the comments he made a moment later implied that only non-Muslim prayer at the site is unacceptable.
"This place is a mosque, and the mosque is a place for Muslims to pray," he said. "When we speak about non-Muslims, we speak about just visiting the place, just visiting. More than visiting there is nothing at all."
Husseini refused to specify what the Waqf's response would be if Israel were to allow Jews to pray at the Temple Mount, saying only that the government knows very well what the reaction would be.
Sharon is said to be planning a meeting of ministers to consider ways to "impose" non-Muslim visits to the Temple Mount on the Waqf.
Hanegbi said Wednesday night there is no justification to keeping the Temple Mount closed to Jews, regardless of Arab objections, although it should ideally be opened "with restraint."
"It will be opened by agreement, but if no agreement is reached, things will be done without agreement," he said. "It is impossible to reconcile ourselves to a situation where it is not permitted for adherents of all religions to visit and pray at the Temple Mount for a prolonged period. There is no justification for this."
Opening the Temple Mount "is the right, the moral and the logical thing," Hanegbi said, adding the time to do so was "very close... But it is best to do this with restraint, by reaching an agreement and by mutual understanding."
Labor MK Haim Ramon told Israel Radio on Thursday that the issue should not be raised at the moment, while Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are beginning afresh.
"There is no timing [for opening the Temple Mount] more unfortunate than the present timing," he said.
Hanegbi made his comments in reaction to a motion to the agenda from MK Abdulmalik Dehamshe (United Arab List). The minister said the government intends to revert to the practice in force before Sharon's October, 2000, visit.
Hundreds of thousands of people visited the Temple Mount over an extended period and there were no incidents before that, Hanegbi said.
Zeg :zwaai: aan de roadmap als Israel inderdaad tegen de wil van Waqf in de tempelberg weer opstelt. In deze onderhandelingen kan je ook goed zien hoe de Israeli altijd al hebben onderhandeld. Wij willen het zo, en als jullie het daarmee niet eens kunnen zijn, dan doen wij het toch.
By Haaretz Service
Responding to Public Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi's comment that the Temple Mount would soon be opened to Jews for visits and prayers, the director of the Muslim Waqf said that non-Muslims are not welcome there, Israel Radio reported Thursday.
"The Arab standpoint, the Waqf standpoint, is that there is no change in the decision of not allowing non-Muslims to enter the place," said Adnan Husseini, director of the Muslim religious trust (Waqf).
The Waqf has denied access to the Mount to non-Muslims since October, 2000, when riots broke out following a visit by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to the compound.
But while Husseini dismissed the idea that non-Muslims can even enter the Temple Mount, which is holy to both Judaism and Islam, the comments he made a moment later implied that only non-Muslim prayer at the site is unacceptable.
"This place is a mosque, and the mosque is a place for Muslims to pray," he said. "When we speak about non-Muslims, we speak about just visiting the place, just visiting. More than visiting there is nothing at all."
Husseini refused to specify what the Waqf's response would be if Israel were to allow Jews to pray at the Temple Mount, saying only that the government knows very well what the reaction would be.
Sharon is said to be planning a meeting of ministers to consider ways to "impose" non-Muslim visits to the Temple Mount on the Waqf.
Hanegbi said Wednesday night there is no justification to keeping the Temple Mount closed to Jews, regardless of Arab objections, although it should ideally be opened "with restraint."
"It will be opened by agreement, but if no agreement is reached, things will be done without agreement," he said. "It is impossible to reconcile ourselves to a situation where it is not permitted for adherents of all religions to visit and pray at the Temple Mount for a prolonged period. There is no justification for this."
Opening the Temple Mount "is the right, the moral and the logical thing," Hanegbi said, adding the time to do so was "very close... But it is best to do this with restraint, by reaching an agreement and by mutual understanding."
Labor MK Haim Ramon told Israel Radio on Thursday that the issue should not be raised at the moment, while Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are beginning afresh.
"There is no timing [for opening the Temple Mount] more unfortunate than the present timing," he said.
Hanegbi made his comments in reaction to a motion to the agenda from MK Abdulmalik Dehamshe (United Arab List). The minister said the government intends to revert to the practice in force before Sharon's October, 2000, visit.
Hundreds of thousands of people visited the Temple Mount over an extended period and there were no incidents before that, Hanegbi said.
Zeg :zwaai: aan de roadmap als Israel inderdaad tegen de wil van Waqf in de tempelberg weer opstelt. In deze onderhandelingen kan je ook goed zien hoe de Israeli altijd al hebben onderhandeld. Wij willen het zo, en als jullie het daarmee niet eens kunnen zijn, dan doen wij het toch.