Ehud Barak orders closure of Al-Aqsa Foundation after group accuses Israel of destroying holy sites in Jerusalem

Israel raids and shuts down Al-Aqsa foundation in Um Al-Faham

[ 24/08/2008 - 05:17 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

Al-Jazeera satellite channel reported that a large number of Israeli police and intelligence officers have raided at an early hour Sunday the offices of the Islamic Movement and Al-Aqsa Foundation in Um Al-Fa'hm city in the Palestinian lands occupied in 1948 at the pretext of supporting the Hamas Movement.

Historical documents, maps, computers, and a safe with hundreds of thousands of dollars were confiscated in the raids which were ordered by Israeli war minister Ehud Barak.

The IOA alleged that the foundation, which is run by the Israeli Arab Islamist party, was channeling funds to the Da'awa institution in east occupied Jerusalem, which is allegedly affiliated with Hamas.

Israeli media outlets reported that some of the Islamic Movement's bank accounts had been frozen by the IOA.

"The atrocious closure of Al-Aqsa Foundation comes for only one reason; because Al-Aqsa Foundation reveals the truth to the whole world," Shaikh Ra'ed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement told Al-Jazeera.

Shaikh Salah expressed his belief that the raids were in reaction to the press conference held two weeks ago during which he produced a number of documents revealing malicious Israeli schemes to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque and judaize the whole of Jerusalem city.

Salah said that the homes of several employees of Al-Aqsa foundation had also been stormed and ransacked.

In another development, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Sunday morning raided West Bank cities and villages kidnapping a number of Palestinian citizens and ransacking houses.

In the city and refugee camp of Tulkarem, Palestinian eyewitnesses reported that Israeli occupation military vehicles were patrolling the streets of the city amid a state of anxiety among citizens who feared that the new school year, which started today, might be disrupted by provocative actions of IOF troops.

The IOF troops also stormed the Abu Enjeem village, east of Bethlehem, and the villages of Arka and Masliya in Jenin.

In another context, the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli Negev prison revealed in a leaked letter received by the PIC that officers of the Fatah-affiliated preventive security told administrative detainees through telephone calls that they should settle their problems with the PA security apparatuses in exchange for ending their detention.

The letter said that one of the preventive security officers named Maher Sobh makes telephone calls with prisoners telling them blatantly that their files are with the preventive security and will be closed if they settle things with the security apparatuses in the West Bank.

The prisoners expressed their dismay at this provocative, flagrant treason voiced by such officers and their assault on the sanctity of the Palestinian prisoners' issue.

Barak orders closure of Al-Aqsa Foundation after group accuses Israel of destroying holy sites

Date: 24 / 08 / 2008 Time: 10:33
Bethlehem – Ma'an –

Israeli police and Shin Bet (the internal security agency) officers stormed the Al-Aqsa Foundation for the Reconstruction of Islamic Holy Places office in Umm Al-Fa'hm on Saturday night.

The order to close the Foundation was issued by the Israeli occupation government defense minister, Ehud Barak, on what was claimed to be "information received on ties between institution and Hamas headquarters in Jerusalem."

The office of the Foundation, in Israel was raided on Saturday night and ransacked; the safe was removed as well as cash, and documents.

On Friday the Foundation issued a statement accusing extremist Israeli settlers in Jerusalem of defiling more than 20 ancient tombstones in the Ma'man Allah cemetery just outside the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday (See the photo below, Ma'an, 8/22/08).

The cemetery, according to the Foundation, is the oldest and largest cemetery in the region. According to studies a number of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad, scholars and imams from the seventh century AD are buried at the site.

The Foundation threatened to prosecute those responsible for the vandalism, saying that they held Israel fully responsible for the damage to the ancient site.

The statement also said Israel prevented the Al-Aqsa Foundation from fixing the damaged graves.

Later Friday the Foundation's leader, Shaikh Raed Salah delivered a speech denouncing what he called the "Israeli policy of destroying Islamic Jerusalem."

On Sunday several of the Foundation's bank accounts were frozen.

Israeli media has reported that the materials taken from the offices will be handed over to the Shin Bet, which will determine whether or not an investigation will be launched.

The investigation is said to be focusing on the financial statements of the Foundation, which is being accused of giving funds to Hamas through joint activities held between the two organizations.

Zahi Nujidat, a spokesman for the Islamic Movement's northern branch, was quoted as saying that the Israeli raid of the institution was because it had "no answer" to the accusations of the Foundation that Israel had caused immeasurable damage "to the holy sites in general and to Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular."

Abbas aide condemns Israeli raid on Al-Aqsa Institution and Islamic Movement

Date: 24 / 08 / 2008 Time: 22:56
Jerusalem – Ma'an –

Hatem Abdul Qader, the Palestinian President's advisor on Jerusalem affairs condemned the Israeli government’s shutdown of Al-Aqsa Institution in the Israeli town of Umm Al-Fa'hm a “racist and stupid” action.

The organization’s headquarters were raided by Israeli forces on Sunday morning after the Israeli government accused the group of ties to Hamas.

Abdel Qader praised the group’s role in exposing Israel’s plans to “Judaize Al-Aqsa Mosque.” The organization was founded to defend the iconic Jerusalem mosque in from nearby construction and excavation.

Abdul Qader extended his support to Shaikh Raed Salah, the head of Islamic Movement in Israel and to staff of the institution for their work in defending institutions. The Islamic Movement’s own offices were also raided on Sunday morning.

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.