12 April 2009

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, the Khatib (preacher) of the Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, has warned that the holy city and its blessed Aqsa Mosque are the target of a ferocious Jewish offensive under the official patronage of the Israeli occupation authority.

Sheikh Hussein in an exclusive interview with the PIC on Friday said that the Aqsa Mosque (specifically last Wednesday) was subjected to a pre-planned attack on the part of fanatic Jewish groups under the escort and protection of the Israeli occupation police through the Maghareba gate, which is controlled by the IOA.

He noted that the attacks have been escalating lately accompanied with "provocative acts".

The Sheikh drew the attention to the increasing Israeli targeting of the occupied city of Jerusalem in general and the Aqsa Mosque in particular.

He cited as proof the repeated storming of the holy site, confiscation of Palestinian homes under trivial pretexts and lies, continued excavations and robbery of historical rocks from the Umayyad era.

Sheikh Hussein asked the indigenous Arab inhabitants of occupied Jerusalem to remain on the alert in face of a new stage of Jewish arrogance and deviated creed.

He underlined that the new Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu denies any rights for the Palestinian people and is not interested in peace, "So we mustn't hinge high hopes on it. Rather we should maintain daily presence in the Aqsa Mosque to protect it" in face of Jewish atrocities.

The Aqsa Khatib addressed a message to the Arab and Islamic rulers and ruled warning them that the land of Palestine, Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque are subjected to a "rabid offensive on the part of occupation and all should rise in defense of Jerusalem and the Aqsa and all should live up to their responsibilities and assist in stabilizing the Arab and Islamic presence in Jerusalem and support the Jerusalemites to continue their defense of the holy Islamic shrines that are the target of constant violations".

Abu Obeida: Resistance operations will escalate due to Israeli escalations

Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, stated Wednesday that the resistance operations against Israeli targets will escalate as long as Israel escalates the pace of its terrorism against the Palestinian people and the judaization of occupied Jerusalem that has reached an unprecedented dangerous stage.

In a statement posted on Al-Qassam website, Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the Brigades, underlined that the presence of occupation constitutes a sufficient and natural reason for the Palestinian people to defend themselves by all means available.

The spokesman stressed that there is no difference between the successive Israeli governments in terms of extremism, criminality and bloodthirstiness except for their names and their ways of expressing their extremist opinions.

In another context, the Hebrew radio on Wednesday quoted IOF chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi as saying that Israel would not hesitate to wage another war on the Gaza Strip if it has to.