Qalqiliya mayor: Saddam Hussein "adhered to his principles" and died as a "Martyr"
Headline: “Qalqilya: The Arab Liberation Front honored the excelling students in the Jerusalem Culture Competition”
“Spokesmen at the ceremony organized by the Arab Liberation Front (i.e., member of PLO, based in Iraq) in the Qalqilya district to honor the students who won in the study regarding Jerusalem culture in 2015-2016… called to give attention to Jerusalem in order to emphasize our right to it, to prevent Israel from erasing its Arab and Islamic identity, and to prevent the division of the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza by areas and times. Qalqilya District Governor Hassam Abu Hamda and Qalqilya Mayor Othman Daoud were present at the event. Daoud praised the excelling students and their achievements, and said that the [Arab Liberation] Front’s interest and their scientific research, and the fact that it held a ceremony to honor the winners is proof of the good education it received under the leader Saddam Hussein, who continued to adhere to his principles and the Palestinian cause until his death as a Martyr.”
"Division according to areas and times" refers to a proposed law (May 2013) being reviewed in Israeli Parliament that would allow for both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount, what the Palestinians call the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza. The law seeks to designate separate prayer times and areas of the site for Muslims and Jews. However, Israeli PM Netanyahu has stated on many occasions that the Israeli government has no intention of changing the status quo on the Temple Mount, which means Jews are allowed to enter the Temple Mount, but cannot pray there or engage in any type of worship.
“Spokesmen at the ceremony organized by the Arab Liberation Front (i.e., member of PLO, based in Iraq) in the Qalqilya district to honor the students who won in the study regarding Jerusalem culture in 2015-2016… called to give attention to Jerusalem in order to emphasize our right to it, to prevent Israel from erasing its Arab and Islamic identity, and to prevent the division of the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza by areas and times. Qalqilya District Governor Hassam Abu Hamda and Qalqilya Mayor Othman Daoud were present at the event. Daoud praised the excelling students and their achievements, and said that the [Arab Liberation] Front’s interest and their scientific research, and the fact that it held a ceremony to honor the winners is proof of the good education it received under the leader Saddam Hussein, who continued to adhere to his principles and the Palestinian cause until his death as a Martyr.”
"Division according to areas and times" refers to a proposed law (May 2013) being reviewed in Israeli Parliament that would allow for both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount, what the Palestinians call the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza. The law seeks to designate separate prayer times and areas of the site for Muslims and Jews. However, Israeli PM Netanyahu has stated on many occasions that the Israeli government has no intention of changing the status quo on the Temple Mount, which means Jews are allowed to enter the Temple Mount, but cannot pray there or engage in any type of worship.