PA leader who promotes religious war to speak about religious tolerance at BGU
PA religious leader who promotes religious war
to speak at Ben Gurion University
on the “need for religious tolerance”
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
Mahmoud Abbas' Advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash has been invited to speak tomorrow, Dec. 1, 2014, at Ben Gurion University on “Religious Aspects of the Israeli - Palestine conflict and the need for religious tolerance.” This is striking since for years, Al-Habbash has been promoting conflict and war with Israel in the name of Islam, as reported by Palestinian Media Watch.
Al-Habbash recently taught that Islam prohibits accepting Israel's existence because the “entire land of Palestine” is Islamic waqf. As such, he forbids making peace with Israel because he believes Islamic law prohibits “facilitat[ing] the occupation of even a millimeter of it”, i.e., “the entire land of Palestine”:
“Al-Habbash emphasized that according to Islamic Shari'ah law, the entire land of Palestine is waqf(i.e., an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law) and is blessed land, and that it is prohibited to sell, bestow ownership or facilitate the occupation of even a millimeter of it."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 22, 2014]
When Palestinians refer to “the entire land of Palestine,” they always include all of Israel.
Al-Habbash has recently said that the Western Wall is also Islamic waqf and that “it is ours and will remain ours. The occupation [Israel] is the one that will leave":
"All of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, including its plazas, stone benches, prayer niches and walls, including the Al-Buraq Wall (i.e., the Western Wall of the Temple Mount), including the blessed Al-Buraq Wall - all these are waqf to us (i.e., an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law). All this is waqf and kharaj land (i.e., land belonging to Muslims) and no one is permitted to sell it or negotiate over it or forfeit it. It is ours and will remain ours. The occupation is the one that will leave."
[Official PA TV, Nov. 7, 2014]
Al-Habbash has also expressed emphatic support for those involved in the recent murderous terror attacks in Jerusalem. He said:
“We are behind them. The leadership is with them. A few days ago, President [Mahmoud Abbas] greeted them, reinforced them and requested more Ribat from them... We are with them in every movement, in every action and every deed, and we welcome what they are doing at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
[Official PA TV, Nov. 5, 2014]
Al-Habbash expressed his support for “every action and every deed” after two Israelis had already been murdered in Jerusalem.
Al-Habbash has actively fueled religious hatred more than once by voicing the libel that Israel is planning to build the "alleged Third Temple" in place of the Al-Aqsa Mosque:
“In a statement to the press yesterday [April 14, 2014], Al-Habbash said... that the Israeli establishment is seeking to fulfill its dream, with the aim of building what it refers to as the alleged Third Temple in place of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and of completely altering the heritage and culture of the city and its Islamic light.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 15, 2014]
“In addition, he warned again of the danger of the racist Israeli violations being planned against [the] Al-Aqsa [Mosque]... which confirm that Israel’s aim is to tighten its control over [the] Al-Aqsa, in preparation for destroying it and building their alleged Temple.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 7, 2014]
Finally, last year, Al-Habbash said that the entire peace process with Israel is a deceptive process modeled after Muhammad's Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Although the Muslim Prophet signed a 10-year peace treaty with the tribes of Mecca, “in less than two years, the Prophet returned and, based on this treaty, he conquered Mecca. This is the example, this is the model,” explained Al-Habbash in a sermon. [Official PA TV, July 19, 2013]
This statement by Al-Habbash explaining that the peace process is modeled after a treaty that led to the defeat of the co-signer was made just days after the last round of peace talks with Israel were announced in July 2013. If “this is the example, this is the model,” then the goal of the peace process is to eventually defeat Israel.
All of Al-Habbash’s statements paint a gloomy picture of the PA as a peace partner. Peace with Israel is prohibited, the murder of Israelis is endorsed, and the purpose of the peace process is to defeat Israel after an agreement is signed.