PA advisor on Islam warns world ‘will pay’ unless Muslims save Al-Aqsa
Advisor to PA President Abbas on Islam claims Israel has “the culture of the devil.”
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFThe Dome of the Rock is seen in the background as a man waves a Palestinian flag upon entering the Temple Mount, after Israel removed all security measures it had installed at the compound, in Jerusalem's Old City July 27, 2017.(photo credit: REUTERS)
Islamic law judge and advisor on religious and Islamic Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash used social media on June 2 to warn Muslims against an alleged “Israeli plot against the Al-Aqsa Mosque," Palestinian Media Watch reported. “If the Muslims don’t act now… the entire world will pay dearly,” he went on to say.This is not the first time he said such things. In a sermon he gave at Moscow Cathedral Mosque he called on Muslims around the world to defend Jerusalem, saying it is the embodiment “of the struggle between good and evil.”In his view, Jews are “evil” and “enemies of Muslims.”The Moscow Cathedral Mosque was re-opened in 2015 after the original mosque, which was built in 1904, was torn down and rebuilt. PA President Mahmoud Abbas attended the festive opening.The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Haram esh-Sharif, is the holiest sight to Jews and holy as well to Muslims and is often a center of conflict.Right-wing NGO Regavim claimed last week that the state admitted to the High Court of Justice that it is aware that the Waqf has illegally turned the Mercy Gate area on Temple Mount into a mosque, but is opposed to its closure.On Jerusalem Day, which fell on June 1, riots broke out on the Temple Mount following the report that Jews would be allowed to enter the Temple Mount for Jerusalem Day.Ilanit Chernick and Alon Einhorn contributed to this report.