'Arab world must stop Israel's Judaization of J'lem'
Hamas PM Haniyeh, on tour of Mideast, tells reporters in Cairo Israel on a campaign against Muslim symbols in Jerusalem.
By JPOST.COM STAFFIsmail Haniyeh in Egypt, talking_311(photo credit: Reuters)
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh made an urgent call Tuesday on the international Arab and Muslim community to stop what he called Israel's "Judaization" of Jerusalem and attacks on the Jewish state's Muslim minority.Speaking to journalists in Cairo after two days of meetings with Egyptian officials on the first leg of his tour of the Middle East, Haniyeh slammed Israel for the "demolition of houses, villages and ethnic cleansing" in Jerusalem, pan-Arab news outlet Elaph reported.RELATED:Hamas PM begins tour of Arab, Islamic countries Muslim Brotherhood welcomes Hamas PM in Egypt
He called on Arab states to step up efforts to stop the "Judaization" of Jerusalem, a city many Palestinians see as the future capital of a Palestinian state, through financial and political means, according to Elaph.Haniyeh also mentioned the "muezzin bill," a law that would ban the use of a PA system for the Muslim call to prayer. The Hamas prime minister said this law, as well as the issue in Jerusalem, were proof of Israel's campaign against "Muslim symbols."The Hamas prime minister is touring the Arab world for the first time since 2007.Hamas officials including Haniyeh have said that the so-called Arab Spring uprisings have had a positive impact on Hamas's cause, citing the success of Islamist parties in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia following the overthrow of their respective governments.He is scheduled to visit Sudan, Turkey, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia following his stint in Egypt.Unconfirmed reports said that Haniyeh will also visit Benghazi for talks with the new leaders of Libya.
