“There is no religious conflict between us and the Jews,” states the PA supreme Shari’ah judge known for inciting religious conflict

Headline: “Al-Habbash calls on the religious leaders to fulfill their duty towards Palestine and Jerusalem”

(The following is an excerpt of a speech by PA Supreme Shari’ah Judge Mahmoud Al-Habbash at a conference organized by the Indonesian Activity Group for the Al-Aqsa Mosque entitled “The Role of the Religious Leaders in Ending the Israeli Occupation in Palestine and Defending the Sites that are Holy to Islam and Christianity in Jerusalem” -Ed.)

“[PA] Supreme Shari’ah Judge [Mahmoud Al-Habbash] emphasized: ‘The just struggle that the Palestinian people is waging is not against Judaism as a religion; it is a struggle against aggression, against occupation, and against colonialism, and it is a struggle to defend the land, rights, holy sites, people’s lives, dignity, freedom, and justice.’ He continued: There is no religious conflict between us and the Jews. They have a religion, and we are not fighting them due to their religion, but rather we are fighting the occupation and injustice.’ Al-Habbash [added]: ‘There can be no peace or stability as long as the Israeli occupation exists and until the Palestinian people receives its legitimate political and religious rights – which the international laws guarantee – like the rest of the world’s peoples.’”

Mahmoud Al-Habbash also serves as Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice. In August 2019 PA Chairman Abbas dismissed all his advisors by Presidential decree. It is unclear what their status is today.