CAIRO, Aug 23 (KUNA) -- Israel is implementing a scheme expiring in 2020 aimed at judaising the holy city of Jerusalem, a senior official of the Arab League said on Monday.
Ambassador Mohammad Sebeeh, the Arab League Secretary General Assistant for affairs of Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories, warned in a statement, made today on the occasion of the 41the anniversary of torching the sacred Al-Aqsa mosque, of continuing Israeli measures designed to judaize the ancient city.
He urged the Arab states to honor pledges made at the Sirte (Libya) summit for the holy city, alluding to the USD five million pledge to support the Palestinian natives of Jerusalem, vis a vis Israeli schemes to build more residences for Jews and hinder bids by the Arab natives to secure housing.
Conditions nowadays are much more difficult compared to those that existed in 1969, when Al-Aqsa mosque was set afire, said Ambassador Sebeeh. Israel now is taking public steps to judaize the city, with aid of its army and the intelligence to enforce a de facto situation in the face of the Palestinians, he said, referring to the Israeli government explicit aid to the expansionist Jewish settlers.
The mosque was set alight in 1969 despite existence of a balance of powers on the international arena and widely acclaimed Palestinian struggle, and since then Israel has not stopped taking moves to change the identity of the city, he said.
Sebeeh urged Arab and Muslim peoples, the educated elites, unions and civil associations to confront the Israeli schemes, and indicated at various Israeli practices that served this policy, namely excavation works, recurring expulsions of Palestinian leaders and ordinary citizens from Jerusalem and demolition of the natives' houses.
"Jerusalem is a red line and there will be no peace without it, for Jerusalem is the city of wars and peace," he said, emphasizing significant status of the city, which hosts some of the holiest shrines for the three heavenly religions, Islam, Christianity and Judaism. (end) bna.rk KUNA 231936 Aug 10NNNN