Mufti of Jerusalem praises calls “to maintain Ribat (religious conflict/war defending Islamic land)” in Jerusalem

"The Mufti of Jerusalem and speaker at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, praised the residents' response to calls to come to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to maintain Ribat (religious conflict/war) in its pure plazas in order to defend it. His honor [Hussein] appealed yesterday to the Ribat fighters in the Al-Aqsa plazas and emphasized that the practical response to the threats of the occupation and the extremist Jewish right-wing against the Al-Aqsa Mosque is to remain there, in large numbers… The Ribat fighters in the Al-Aqsa Mosque squares yesterday sounded shouts of 'Allah Akbar'… Fatah spokesman Osama Al-Qawasmi said in an announcement: 'The Netanyahu government is pushing the region towards a religious struggle whose results no one can gauge…' A press release said: 'Israel knows well that there will be no Palestinian state without Jerusalem, and that the Palestinian leadership has proved to everyone that there will be no solution or stability without the liberation of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Israeli occupation… We have sacrificed thousands of Martyrs (Shahids), prisoners, and injured people in the Al-Aqsa Intifada (the PA terror campaign, 2000-2005), which was kindled by the will of [former Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel] Sharon to invade the Al-Aqsa Mosque. We are prepared to defend Al-Aqsa with our lives.'"