Aqsa News, Issue 57, January 2015 by Friends of Al Aqsa

AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

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AQSA NEWS 2

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Travel Volunteering in Palestine Page 17

Friends of Al-Aqsa newspaper since 1997

Israel converts historic mosque in to museum

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Three babies freeze to death as world remains silent

Symbolic recognition of Palestine

FOA launches global campaign to protect al-Aqsa #HandsOffAlAqsa • Al-Aqsa closed to worshippers for the first time since 1967 • 86 attacks on Palestinian religious sites in the West Bank and Jerusalem in 2014 • 271 religious sites bombed in Gaza Israeli attacks on Masjid Al Aqsa and other religious sites in the West Bank and Jerusalem surged in 2014, with more than 86 physical assaults on Muslim and Christian places of worship. In Gaza, 271 religious sites were damaged or destroyed during Israel’s bombardment in the Summer. FOA launched a global campaign #HandsOffAlAqsa to draw attention to attacks on Al-Aqsa and the

increasing threats faced by the Muslim holy site in Jerusalem. The campaign was launch following a complete closure of Al-Aqsa by Israel for the first time since the occupation began. Although reopened a day later, access remains severely restricted and Palestinians are regularly barred entry during prayer times, and extremist Israeli settlers continue to trespass onto the site.

Al-Aqsa in Parliament

News

Film Review

Special Feature

Israel continues to violate Gaza truce

Ferguson protesters and Palestinians find common ground

‘Open Bethlehem’ Leila Sansour

What is troubling Masjid al-Aqsa?

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FREEDOM WALK2015

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Join the FOA Sponsored Walk and raise money to help bring freedom to Palestine

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In a bid to increase political awareness and understanding of the significance of Al-Aqsa, FOA held a meeting in Parliament in December, which was attended by both Conservative and Labour MPs. FOA Chair Ismail Patel spoke about the enormous significance of Al-Aqsa within Palestinian and Islamic history, highlighting Israel’s frequent transgressions against the rights of Palestinians, including the freedom to worship without harassment. “Palestinians are no longer seen as humans, but as targets,” he said. Labour MP Andy Slaughter recognised that the threat Al Aqsa faced was unprecedented in its history.

Recipe

In History

Caraway Pudding (Karawya or Moghli)

Creation of PLO

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AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

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2 INSIDE PALESTINE

Israel continues to violate Gaza truce

Settlers target Palestinian children Israeli settler assaults on Palestinian children have increased in recent months, with a number of attacks causing deaths and serious injuries. The angelic five-yearold Inas Khalil was killed by a settler who ran over her and a friend as they came off their school bus in October. Her family were left devastated by the attack, while Israel failed to charge or prosecute her murderer, calling it a ‘road traffic accident’. Other children including five-year-old Muhammed Jamal Obeid, lost his eye when he was shot with a rubber coated steel bullet. 8 year old Ali Qrei’esh was severely injured by a settler who hit him with his car and drove

off. Other hit and run incidents involving adults have also been reported. The lack of accountability for these attacks reinforced accusations of Israeli apartheid policies. In contrast, the tragic death of an Israeli child caused by a Palestinian motorist ploughing into a crowd was followed by the Palestinian being shot and killed by soldiers. Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank have killed more than 49 Palestinians in 2014, according to the UN. At least ten of those were children. The figures do not even include those killed by extremist settlers or those Israel denies responsibility for killing.

An Israeli court has sentenced a Palestinian man to four years in prison for handing out gifts to children at Al Aqsa mosque, the Gulf News reported. Activists condemned the ruling against 41-year-old Khalil Attiyah Al Ghazawi from East Jerusalem, who

was also forced to pay a 200,000 shekel (£33,000) fine. The father of eight was arrested at his home shortly after handing out gifts to children at the mosque and encouraging them to visit it more often. Ghazawi, who worked as

a teacher in Jerusalem, had previously been targeted by occupation forces and had been imprisoned on a number of occasions for religious activities. He will spend his current sentence at Eshel prison near Beersheba.

Israeli authorities have converted the Grand Mosque of Beersheba in to a museum, despite no alternative adequate prayer facilities for the area’s 10,000 Muslims. Local sources said the historic mosque was now being used to house a collection of antique Muslim prayer rugs and that no

Arabs or Muslims were on the exhibition’s supervisory committee, Maan news agency reported. The move disregards the needs of thousands of Bedouin Palestinians living in the area, who had hoped that they could use the mosque to worship in. The community had been peti-

tioning Israeli authorities for the right to at least conduct Friday prayers in the mosque. The building once served a thriving Palestinian community, who were driven from their city to the Gaza Strip by Zionist gangs after the establishment of Israel in 1948.

Israeli court sentences man for handing out sweets at al-Aqsa

Since the ceasefire was agreed between Israel and Gaza in August, Israel has launched a number of attacks on the besieged territory. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza are continuing to stick to the terms of the fragile truce despite these provocations and Israel’s

failure to abide by terms of the agreement. Under the agreement, Palestinian fishermen should have been allowed to fish 6 miles off Gaza’s coast, to be increased to 12 miles by September 2014. Instead, Israel began by permitting 6 miles, and then reduced this

down to 5 miles. The siege on Gaza continues unabated, and lack of economic opportunity and basic supplies continues to make life miserable for the residents, approximately half of whom are children.

Christmas under Occupation

Palestinian Christians have marked another Christmas under occupation with many unable to attend celebrations in Bethlehem due to Israeli restrictions. Worshippers blamed Israel’s apartheid wall and the dozens of checkpoints it operated to restrict Palestinian movement, for making it impossible to get to services in time. The physical barriers used by Israel mean it is impossible to reach different holy sites, which are dotted around the region, in a short period of time. Even Israel’s close ally, the US, has criticised the Zionist state for hindering free worship at Christian sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The US State Department also condemned Israel for not allowing visitor permits for members of the clergy, nuns, and other religious officials. Christians make up roughly 10 percent of the Palestinian population both in the occupied territories and within Israel itself.

Israel converts historic mosque in to Museum

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INSIDE PALESTINE 3

Arab bus drivers Israel bans quit en-masse surgeon from

entering Gaza

About 100 Palestinian bus drivers in Jerusalem have left their jobs following a rise in attacks by Zionist extremists. The mass resignations follow the lynching of Yousef Al Ramouni by settlers in Jerusalem in November. One of Ramouni’s colleagues at the Egged bus company, Awad Ganin, told Haaretz news that attacks against Arab drivers were common, particularly in ul-

tra Orthodox Jewish areas. Ganin described one attack where he was beaten by youths who chanted “death to the Arabs.” Jewish drivers also complain that they are forced to prove they are not Arabs by passengers who suspect them of being so. Both Jewish and Arab employees complain that Israeli authorities are usually slow to respond to complaints of racial harassment.

A Jewish youth who refused to serve with occupation forces has been given his draft exemption after spending 177 days in jail. Uriel Ferera, an Orthodox Jew, from Beersheba went through 10 separate court hearing for refusing to join the Israeli army. The 19-year-old had turned down the offer of a non-combat role serving in an Israeli army office, explaining that if he accepted, he would still be helping the occupation. “If I enlist in the army; I will contribute to the occupation even if I do not serve in the territories. Any office

work in the army is collaboration, and I want no part of it,” Ferera said. Ferera, who was born in Argentina and moved to Beersheba when he was six, has a history of activism against social injustices, and had attended protests against the expulsion of Bedouins from their villages by the Israeli forces. Israelis who refuse military service are regularly imprisoned, and prominent objectors include Jonathan Ben-Artzi, the nephew of Benjamin Netanyahu, and Omer Goldman the daughter of a former Mossad deputychief.

Israel frees youth who refused to serve in occupation army

Israel has banned the Norwegian humanitarian activist and surgeon, Mads Gilbert from entering the Gaza Strip. The trauma specialist was told he would not be allowed into the besieged territory when he tried to enter Gaza through the Erez crossing in October. The doctor, who has spent 15 years treating Palestinians in Gaza, gained international acclaim this year when he spent the summer helping victims of Israeli bombing raids in the besieged territory. Gilbert has vowed to defy the Israeli government and enter the territory regardless of the ban. “I have

never violated Israeli law, never been arrested and never lied,” he said. The Norwegian has spent much of his time after the Israeli war on Gaza describing the suffering he witnessed in the area on international media outlets. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he described how he saw families bringing in children who were badly maimed by Israeli munitions. During the conflict, he became a familiar face in the media, describing conditions inside Al Shifa hospital where he worked and calling on the outside world to stop the Israeli onslaught, calling it “state terrorism”.

The 1.8 million Palestinians living in Gaza are facing the worst winter in decades, with snowfalls bringing freezing conditions. Following Israel’s attack on Gaza in the summer, over one hundred thousand people remain homeless, living in highly inadequate tents which were intended to be emergency shelter. Israel has not allowed adequate rebuilding materials to enter Gaza, leaving these civilians facing a deadly winter. The children are facing the harshest challenge, and so far, three infants have frozen to death due to the lack of basic human essentials such

as shelter, electricity and food. 2 month old Rafah Ali Abu Assi died in her partially destroyed house in Khan Younis refugee camp due to lack of heat. Her family has no choice but to continue living there. One-monthold Adel Maher al-Lahham, also from Khan Younis also died from freezing weather. These deaths have gone largely unreported in the media, despite being the direct consequence of Israeli state policies against Palestinians. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza cannot protect themselves from

Three babies freeze to death as world remains silent

the brutality of the freezing weather, and many have been suffering immensely from the winter over the past weeks withstanding storms, freezing temperatures, floods and vicious winds. Following the summer attacks, Palestinians continue to face desperate living conditions. In a report by Al Jazeera, Palestinian families are shown to be living in graveyard sites, having no choice but to cook and raise their children in these dire situations. Gaza’s main and only power station, which was heavily damaged during the

war, is severely lacking fuel and is only capable of supplying on average 6 hours of power per day, which is less than half its original capacity. Only 30 per cent of the population has regular access to clean water. The Turkish government has offered to provide Gaza a ‘floating power station’, to provide some electricity and heat throughout the winter, but Israel blocked this donation. A new year was meant to bring new hope, but Israel determined to trip Palestinians of all human rights, dignity, and in the case of these babies, their very lives.

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4 GLOBAL NEWS

Symbolic recognition of Palestine A number of European countries have passed nonbinding resolutions recognising a Palestinian state in recent months. The trend started after Swedish lawmakers moved to officially recognise Palestine in September. Parliamentarians in the UK then quickly drew up non-binding resolutions symbolically recognising a Palestinian state in October, followed by their French and Spanish counterparts. Of these, only Sweden’s declaration was binding, the others have little to no effect on the ground. Despite not carrying any legislative weight, the motions were flatly condemned by Israel, whose Foreign Ministry said recognising a Palestinian state “undermined chances for peace.” This position is reflective of Israel’s desire to control

the future of Palestine, and dictate the agenda for independence from occupation. The British vote, which passed with 274 votes in favour of recognition, and 12 votes against was notable for the abstentions of most of the ruling Conservative government, including Prime Minister David Cameron. Conservative MP Richard Otterway, however, voted in favour of the motion, condemning Israel for its theft of Palestinian land in the West Bank. The 12 MPs who voted against the resolution included Conservatives; Bob Blackman, Jonathan Djangoly, Mike Freer, Nigel Mills, Matthew Offord, and Andrew Syms. Liberal Democrat MP, Sir Alan Beith, also voted against, in addition to five DUP MPs from Northern Ireland.

India to drop UN support for Palestinians

The newly elected ultranationalist BJP party in India is planning to drop the country’s traditional support for Palestinians at the UN. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reported to be considering changing Indian voting policy regarding Palestine at the UN in the wake of blossoming ties with Israel. Government sources told The Hindu newspaper that the country would abstain in future votes on the Middle East process, in sharp contrast to its traditional proPalestinian stance. If the policy is finalised, it would mark the most definitive change in India’s foreign policy regarding the Middle East since it established diplomatic relations with the Is-

raelis in 1992. Since recognising Israel, the two countries have shared close strategic, military and economic ties, with India becoming one of the biggest clients of Israeli military technology. Modi met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September in New York, where the pair agreed to develop close military cooperation between the two states. The Indian Prime Minister is a controversial figure among India’s Muslims for his anti-Muslim views and his alleged role in pogroms in the state of Gujarat in 2001, which left more than a thousand people dead. Modi was the state’s governor at the time.

Palestinian refugees face humanitarian catastrophe in Yarmouk

Activists are warning of a humanitarian catastrophe in the war-stricken Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria. The camp on the outskirts of Damascus, which houses more than 20,000 Palestinian refugees, has been the scene of a devastating siege and in-

tense fighting between Syrian rebels and forces loyal to the Syrian government. UNRWA, which provides aid to residents of the camp has been unable to operate in the area for much of the winter because of the clashes, leaving tens of thousands

without adequate food or heating. Damage to the infrastructure in the area means refugees have to make do without running water and deal with frequent power cuts. Those lucky enough to

reach food distribution centres do so risking death from airstrikes and mortar barrages. A statement by the UNWRA said it was demanding “full, safe, and unrestricted humanitarian access to Yarmouk.”

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GLOBAL NEWS 5

Hamas removed from EU terror blacklist A court has ordered the European Union to remove Hamas from its list of terrorist organisations, citing technical grounds. Despite the move by the EU’s lower court, sanctions and punitive measures against the group, which controls the Gaza Strip would continue for three months to allow time for appeals against the decision. The court said the decision to add Hamas to the EU’s terror blacklist had not been confirmed by “competent authorities” but was instead based on “factual imputations derived from the press and the Internet.” Israel, predictably, condemned the ruling. Its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that the EU immediately put the organisation back on the list, saying “Hamas is a murderous terrorist organization.” The group’s military wing was added to the EU’s list of terrorist organisations

after the September 11 attacks in the US in 2001, with its political wing proscribed by the EU in 2003. Hamas says it is involved only in a military and politi-

Ferguson protesters and Palestinians find common ground

cal struggle against Israel to end the occupation of Palestinian land. An EU spokeswoman said the organisation would consider the court’s verdict.

Jordanians protest Israel gas deal Black rights activists in the US have found common cause with Palestinians under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. After a series of killings of unarmed Black men by US

Dozens of protesters have demonstrated in Jordan’s capital Amman against an expected gas deal with Israel. The Jordanian government is planning to import more than $15 billion dollars worth of fuel from gas fields Israel has seized in the Eastern Mediterranean. Activists from a coalition of groups held banners condemning the Jordanian government with signs that read “the people of Jordan are

not collaborators,” the Maan news agency reported. The protests follow the announcement of legal proceedings by Jordan’s main opposition party, the Islamic Action Front, against those who sign the deal with Israel. Under the deal agreed in September Israel will supply Jordan with more than 45 billion cubic metres of natural gas, from fields that are also claimed by Lebanon. Other fields controlled by the Israelis fall within Pales-

tinian territorial waters. Jordanian lawmakers have widely rejected the agreement with 79 of 150 MPs voting in favour of a motion to scrap the deal. Jordan’s peace deal with Israel, which has turned once bitter enemies in to strong allies, is widely reviled in a country where almost half of the population are descendants of Palestinian refugees expelled from their homes by Zionist gangs.

policemen, Palestinians, who are frequently the targets of unprovoked attacks by Israeli forces, took to social media sites to offer their solidarity. Activists in the US responded by holding placards

thanking Palestinians for their support and flying the Palestinian flag alongside pan-African flags at demonstrations against police brutality.

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6 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Film Review

Open Bethlehem Leila Sansour’s ‘Open Bethlehem’ focuses on her hometown of Bethlehem. The construction of the apartheid separation wall towering over this little town and countless number of checkpoints has stifled it’s growth and spirit. Since the wall was constructed, Bethlehem has become a ghost town with tourists being restricted to visiting for brief periods using the intensely policed system of state-approved minibuses. The film chronicles Leila’s mission to ensure that Bethlehem is a free and open city and not one overcome by Israeli oppression. Having left Palestine and Bethlehem at age 18 and returning several years later to film this documentary, the film evidences the impact of the occupation on her family who are feeling the pressures of the regime that is keeping Palestine a segregated nation and one that relies heavily on international aid, most of which doesn’t arrive in full. The film begins by highlighting the history of Leila’s family and introduces a recurring figure throughout, in the form of Leila’s late father. Consequently, it is this relationship that gives Leila the initial impetus to begin her journey and to “Open Bethlehem”. The documentary is filmed over seven years, and the focal point is the destruction caused by the wall, which is an imposing obstacle that not only divides and segregates two communities but also obliterates the historical heritage of Bethlehem. The family ties to Leila’s campaign for a free

Bethlehem run throughout the film and provide touching moments. In an interview with a shopkeeper particularly affected by the wall, it was evident that the Israeli government’s wall has crushed the Palestinian economy. It stops local businesses from having access to new customers, and has severely restricted the tourism industry. Nevertheless the spirit of the Palestinian people and their passion for a free and fairer state is not diminished and the documentary evidently portrays this. Bethlehem carries the scars of occupation. The film shows families collecting bullets that have ripped through their homes and cases of missiles that have fallen in their gardens. These artefacts serve as a reminder of the dangers that go hand in hand with refusing to submit. Leila’s Open Bethlehem campaign is an attempt to marshal a rainbow coalition of prominent international Christians, Muslims and Jews to persuade Israel’s government to open up Jesus’s birthplace. This would bring life back to the town, ensuring growth through commerce, ecumenical tourism, and to let people visit the city freely, staying or as long as they wish Open Bethlehem is a poignant and necessary documentary shedding light on a town that is known to the world, while its current, depressing circumstances are not. Leila Sansour’s Open Bethlehem project is the kind of first step on which peace processes are built.

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 7 Book Review

Olives, Lemons & Za’atar Olives, Lemons & Za’atar The Best Middle Eastern Home Cooking Rawia Bishara Chef/Owner of Brooklyn’s Tanoreen Restaurant Price: £6.99 (TheWorks.co.uk)

Rawia Bishara’s new cookbook Olives, Lemons & Za’atar is a combination of traditional and modern cuisine, making her book perfect for those wanting to cook Palestinian food anywhere in the world. The book itself is diverse since it caters for those who are already familiar with basic Palestinian dishes and flavours as well as individuals who haven’t really been exposed to it. Her

eye for detail and beautiful imagery reinforce the sense of happy family cooking. Rawia’s recipes infuse original Palestinian flavours but at the same time, her use of jalapenos, brussel sprouts and panko crumbs mirror the influences she has had from the countries she has lived in. Her recipes can easily be incorporated into your daily cooking and be adapted to your own individual taste.

They are clear and simply explained and many of the ingredients are easily accessible in your local supermarket. Also an added bonus is that many of the cuisine are extremely healthy. Recipes for deserts such as macaroni cookies, starters and mains are all included. In total it has 100 recipes, catering for a diversity of tastes regardless of what level cook you are. It is also

accommodates vegetarians with several vegetarian recipes. However many of the non-veg recipes that Rawia provides can easily be adapted by simply leaving out the meat. I highly recommended this book for anyone wanting to cook authentic Palestinian food with a modern twist.

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8 BRANCH UPDATES A Message And Allah (swt) has sent down rain from the sky, and given life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who listen. (Quran, 16:65) The cold winter and the bitter winds makes the prospect of leaving home in the mornings very grim. Within our homes there is comfort, warmth and food - a great deal to be grateful for. While many around the globe face winter without such shelter, in Gaza, that situation is not due to natural disasters or national poverty, it is Israel’s deliberate and cruel punishment. Since the summer slaughter of so many civilians, over one-hundred thousand lost their homes and remain homeless. Where are these people now? Many face the bleak winter storm still confined to living in tents, wholly inadequate to combat the rain and cold. While the world continues to selectively condemn acts of terrorism, the stark question remains: when will Israel’s state terrorism be highlighted and when will the innocent civilians of Gaza be given respite from the enforced imprisonment and misery they have had to endure year after year?

This is a question for us all to address, and to bring up with our prospective MPs as the elections draw closer. We see a clear move towards the pro-Israel position by those wishing to appease Israel supporters. This was clear in David Cameron’s recent speech in which he ludicrously compared the appalling shooting of Pakistani school children with Palestinians resisting Israeli occupation. Now is the time to ask David, and those like him, how many Palestinian children, including some taking refuge in schools, have been killed in the last year alone, and by whom? It is clear that Israel is the state to be compared to terrorists, not Palestinians. As voters, we can make Palestine an issue during these elections and now is the time to engage with prospective parliamentary candidates. Join the FOA Palestine Election Pledge today.

London Launching #NotInMyFridge FOA London held the launch event for the #NotInMyFridge Campaign. We set up a visual display in front of the Coca-Cola truck as it made its first stop to London to draw attention to the campaign. We engaged with those visiting and walking past the truck as well as people working for CocaCola about why we are boycotting this super brand. The public responded

Awareness

We are continuing with our pivotal awareness raising work, speaking at a number of events regarding the importance of al-Aqsa including Sri Lanka Islamic Forum UK and Queen Mary University.

http://www.foa.org.uk/palestine-election-pledge

Ismail Patel Follow on Twitter: @Ismailadampatel

#HandsOffAlAqsa Campaign

positively to the campaign message and many individuals disposed of their free can of Coca-Cola after we informed them about our boycott. ‘I didn’t know that Coke operates in illegal Israeli settlements. Now that I know that I’m not drinking Coke anymore’ said one lady who came with a group of friends to visit the truck.

Coventry At FOA Coventry, we work closely with the Friends of Palestine Group, and over the past couple of months, we have been concentrating on leafleting. Using a pop-up shop in the town centre, we engaged with a lot of shoppers and passers by. On the day the Christmas Lights were switched on, we distributed FOA leaflets on Bethlehem to people attending the event, making them aware of the struggle faced by the town of Jesus’s birth according to Christians. It was a great opportunity to spread awareness!

We welcome volunteers to join our fantastic team! Email london@foa.org.uk

Glasgow

Arabian Nights Our annual formal ladies dinner for awareness raising, called the Arabian Nights, was sold out! The response from the public was overwhelming. It was clear that those

who attended cared deeply about al-Aqsa and the Palestinian cause. The ladies were given information packs with boycott and lobbying action points to follow.

FOA volunteers joined an aid trip to Palestine where they provided dental surgery at various clinics in the Nabulus and Qalqiliya regions. The trip was supported by many who gave donations of vital equipment and heartfelt prayers. The trip prioritised 150 children with special needs

who suffer from a range of illnesses from cerebral palsy to downs syndrome. Some had never been to a dentist before and benefitted from oral health education and treatments. The trip was an opportunity to contribute in alleviating at least some of the suffering faced by these children.

Volunteers in Palestine

Dewsbury and Batley Tens of thousands of people across the globe have joined FOA’s #HandsOffAlAqsa campaign with nearly 20,000 impressions on Twitter and tens of thousands of likes on Facebook. The massive response to the campaign aimed at raising awareness of Israeli threats against one of Islam’s holiest sites drew contributors from as far away as the

US, Russia, and India. A Thunderclap, designed to amplify the message on social media websites, exceeded FOA’s target by 2768%! Such huge involvement meant millions of people worldwide saw the hashtag and the campaign eventually trended in South Africa, London and Malaysia.

At our branch, we have worked very hard to raise the profile of #HandsOffAlAqsa campaign locally, focussing on the Muslim religious communities in the mosques. We encouraged the Friday Khutbah (sermon) to be focussed on al-Aqsa and its religious significance. The response has been very positive and we will continue to work

on raising the profile of this campaign. Over the last few months, we have also expanded the branch and have a working women’s group now, who are keen to begin activities in the region! We welcome new volunteers, who can contact us on dewsburyandbatley@foa. org.uk.

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AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

BRANCH UPDATES 9

AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 56 | SEPTEMBER 2014

10 BOYCOTT

#icheckthelabel

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AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 56 | SEPTEMBER 2014

APPEAL UPDATES 11

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12 FUN AND GAMES COMPETITION! Can you come up with a Palestine solidarity design for this hoodie? Our judges will pick one winning design. The winner will receive a ÂŁ20 gift card and a FOA goody bag!! Entries must be received by Sunday 28th February to Friends of Al-Aqsa, P.O. Box 5127, Leicester, LE2 0DT TIP: To save costs, why not ask a grown up to take a picture of your design and send it to us by email to info@foa.org.uk

WORDSEARCH

Name: _____________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ Postcode: __________________________________________________ Age: _______________________________________________________

Can you find your way through this maze?

Y Q O R F E A S F D P L F X M E C G F J

B G D K M N E I J Z O U C O D B Y W G D

A A Z O K R N D K U E J X I Y B H L P I

K L D A D G V Q F G Y F W D G S Z U U U

Q Y I R Z Z P A U H E M P U L O H I F X

ALISRA BAITULMAQDIS MASJID

U B N S E G M M B J M B Q N C A B V S B

T W M O R N Q L E E L L I B L W Z H C E

S U E U K A I U N U F N S M C V Z K W N

U B V Z Y D M T D X I H I K Z Z N J M A

N S D Q O Y A I S A G R C X X H E M N Z

H C J G V X O A K E A A O L X E N D Y V

ALMIRAJ DOME PALESTINE

F S K I Z Q U B Q J L U S P H R X P O T

H S L X A R E C D W V A E D X J C O W H

I S O M E L A S U R E J P W A N Q S O M

K F K Q C L U M Q T E X B G Z M X M S K

R I Q I G K W A G B E A R M T V W W D Q

Q H E Z R S I S C L Y G O U L W G G X U

D Z L K K G J J Y C J U H F P Q Y R K S

AQSA JERUSALEM

L Z Y X W R A I Y U Z D X S X X P V N U

D A Q S A A C D D C Y B W S M X B J W P

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AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

FUN AND GAMES 13

FREEDOM WALK 2015 REGISTER TODAY Email us your details (full name, address, contact details and age). If you are under the age of 18 then we would need the name of the adult who will be accompanying you. hawa@foa.org.uk Join FOA in the sponsored walk at the Peak District, Derbyshire on Sunday 3rd May. You can choose between the 8km walk, (which takes approximately 2 hours to complete) and 15km walk, (which takes approximately 4 hours to complete). For details and information about the walk and fundrainsing tips please check our website: www.foa.org.uk/walk

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14 SPECIAL FEATURE

What is Troubling Masjid al-Aqsa? Events at al-Aqsa have escalated to make headline news across the world. The change came when Israel, for the first time since the occupation began, enforced a total closure of the al-Aqsa mosque. The events surrounding the closure were full of violence and trespass on to the holy site, by unwelcome Israelis.

Israeli soldiers stand near the al-Aqsa mosque compound after Israeli authorities temporarily closed the compound. Described in the media as ‘visitors’, these Israeli religious extremists were illegal settlers who are openly calling for Al-Aqsa to be taken away from Palestinians, demolished of its current historic and cultural buildings, and replaced with a Jewish

temple. ‘Visitors’ are usually invited guests welcomed by those who own a place. The highly misleading and deliberate use of the term by Israel meant that many around the world viewed the Palestinians as the aggressors here.

Israeli Jewish Claims An opinion which was for decades on the periphery of Israeli society was that of right wing Jewish religious extremists calling for the establishment of Jewish sovereignty over al-Aqsa. Many have worked and continue to work tirelessly to achieve this. Worrying for Palestinians, now this opinion has worked its way into the mainstream, and al-Aqsa faces the danger of constant tresspass and Palestinian worshippers are routinely

blocked from entering. Until the Six Day War, the question of Jews entering the Temple Mount was one confined to books. Since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD, Jews had not entered the area of alAqsa because of rabbinical prohibition. Following the Nakba of 1948, Masjid AlAqsa came under Jordanian control and remained so until Israeli occupation in June 1967.

The Muslim status quo continued after the Six Day War—Israel’s Chief Rabbinate restricted Jews to the Buraq Wall (Western or Wailing Wall) and prohibited them from praying inside Masjid Al-Aqsa based on Jewish theology. However, Israeli control of the holy site challenged the traditional theology. A small minority wanted to establish al-Aqsa as a temple and several unsuccessful plots were hatched to blow up Masjid Al-Aqsa in the 1970s and 1980s. As decades passed and the political landscape changed within Israeli society, what was a minority and fringe opinion in regards to Jewish prayer in the Haram became a mainstream view. In the last decade, a growing number of rabbis have been sanctioning visits and prayers at the site. There is also an on-going concentrated effort—politically, educationally and socially—to end Muslim control of the site and start the process of establishing the Third Temple. As Palestinians feel the pressure intensify, Israel continues to tell the world that there is no danger to al-Aqsa and calls all Palestinian claims exaggerations. The facts tell a very different story.

Attacks on Palestinian worshippers

It is in this context that there has been an escalation in tensions in and around Masjid Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem’s old city since 2013. The tensions are directly caused by extremist Israeli settlers, right-wing politicians and police who are increasingly trespassing into the Haram while openly calling for Israel to assert sovereignty over the holy site. According to media re-

ports, hundreds of Jews— mainly right-wing settlers and students from yeshivas—come to Masjid Al-Aqsa for solitary prayers everyday. During 2014, some 13,757 Israelis trespassed into Masjid Al-Aqsa, of which 11,507 were right-wing Israelis and the rest soldiers, a significant increase from the year before and creating great anxiety for Palestinians.

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AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

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SPECIAL FEATURE 15

Muslim men pray outside al-Aqsa Mosque, which was closed for the first time since 1967.

One of the gates to get into the Sancturay is closed off.

Recently, Palestinian worshippers were blockaded inside the grey domed Al-Qibli Mosque situated towards the south of the 30-acre site. Media reports based on the Israeli army statements stated that Palestinians were armed with petrol bombs, stones, rockets and fireworks—menacing Israeli ‘visitors’. Images and

The group also refers to the various Islamic buildings within the Al-Aqsa compound as “pagan shrines” and suggests that the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Qibli Mosque “be removed, transferred to, and rebuilt at Mecca.” They attempt to lay claim to a land with an ancient Palestinian heritage, to the exclusion of the Palestinians. This is Zionism at its peak. ‘Visitors’ include Deputy

videos later emerged from within the mosque, filled with smoke and the sound of explosions, reflecting a scene of siege by Israeli soldiers rather than attack by Palestinian worshippers. Media agencies did not questions how Palestinians would have taken such weapons into the mosque when it is guarded by Israeli police.

Who are the Trespassers?

Religious fanatics who are part of various Temple Mount movements, messianic groups and others are the ‘visitors’ Israel describes. The website of the Temple Mount Faithful—a consortium of several Temple Mount groups which share the same ideology—provides sombre reading. Palestinians are referred to as

“foreigners” and the group aspires to realise “... the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in our lifetime in accordance with the Word of G-d and all the Hebrew prophets, and the liberation of the Temple Mount from Arab/Islamic occupation so that it may be consecrated to the Name of G-d.”

Speaker of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) Moshe Fieglin, an extremist who remains in power despite calling for “tent encampments” to “concentrate” Palestinians in, in other words Concentration Camps. Fieglin leads an extremist group who trespass on Al-Aqsa without fail every month. It is such unsavoury characters that are the “visitors” referred to in the media.

Feiglin’s plans were taken to the heart of Israeli politics when he proposed a debate on placing al-Aqsa under strict Israeli control, and despite making little progress, Palestinians believe this is a clear indication of Israeli plans.

AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

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16 RECIPE

Lets Bake…Caraway Pudding (Karawya or Moghli) Ingredients • 1 cup powdered rice (if not available in stores, grind using spice grinder) • 2 tablespoons powder caraway • 1 teaspoon powder cinnamon • ¾ cup sugar • 2 cups Plain Flour • 2 tablespoon pistachio, crushed • 2 tablespoon almond, crushed • 1 tablespoon walnut, crushed • 1 tablespoon ground coconut

Method • Place a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add 9 cups of water, the rice, the caraway, and the cinnamon to the pan. Stir frequently until the mixture is starting to boil. Add the sugar while stirring for another minute. Taste it in order to adjust sugar based on your preference. Leave the pudding on a low heat and keep stirring from time to time for another five minutes until it is thick and bubbly. • Pour pudding mixture into small serving bowls. Add 1 tablespoon of mixed nuts (pistachio, almond, walnut, coconut) to each bowl. Serve hot.

Supported by:

MUSLIM ASSOCIATION OF BRITAIN

BRITISH MUSLIM INITIATIVE

YOUTH MUSLIM ORGANISATION

MUSLIMAAT UK MUSLIM WOMEN’S FORUM

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AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

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TRAVEL TO PALESTINE 17

Volunteering in Palestine “Volunteer in Palestine??” – Does it seem like a dream beyond your reach? Well, these were the same thoughts I had before I was blessed with the opportunity to volunteer in Palestine in 2014.

Was it standing atop a hill on Abu Akram’s farm, carryI went as part of a volunteer group called ‘Volunteer in By A. Yusuf ing buckets of water, marvelling at the beauty of Palestine, Palestine’. I stayed for 10 days; 7 of which were the official whilst eating grapes and figs, fresh off the vine? volunteer trip, based in the town of Beit Sahour, just outside People often ask me what was your most memorable of Bethlehem. 3 days were my own time, spent wandering around the magical Al Aqsa Sanctuary and the souks of ‘Al moment? Something I struggle to encompass in a few sentences. Quds’. I ponder and think; is it the moment I was given my entry Visa at Ben Gurion International Airport? Is it the moment we met patients from Gaza at the Al Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem. Patients who had been transferred during the 51 day bombardment in July, who recalled stories of lost limbs and lives, their own and their families. I remember crying unashamedly as they told their stories, though not one of the patients cried. They simply kept repeating that this was Allah’s plan and their reward would be in heaven, god willing. Their strength, faith and determination is something that lives with me till today. Or finally, is it my wonderful mama and baba, Aunty J and Uncle A, who treated me like one of their own. Their hospitality and welcoming nature made me feel at home, right from the moment I arrived. Something Palestinians are famed for!

The mornings were spent either helping farmers planting and harvesting vegetables and fruits or volunteering in schools. The afternoons were spent travelling to different towns around Palestine, such as Bethlehem (Beit - Lahem), Hebron (Al-Khalil) and Jerusalem (Al-Quds). The aim of the visit was to combine helping Palestinian farmers with an opportunity to learn more about the conflict in Palestine first hand. The saying you can’t truly understand what life is like for a people until you experience it yourself rung home every day. No matter how many videos you watch, no matter how many posts you like or comment on, on Facebook or Instagram, until you become the individual standing in front of an Israeli soldier with a firearm in Hebron, you can’t say you know what it feels like to be at the mercy of a brutal occupation. But, the beauty and significance of Palestine far outweigh the negatives, which often act as a stumbling block for many wanting to visit.

Is it the moment I first prayed at Musallah al Qibly. That feeling of peace and tranquillity that envelopes you, whilst in Sujood and whilst raising your hands in Dua’a? As I walked around the grounds of the Al Aqsa Sanctuary, was it the moment I realised that within this blessed space, our beloved Prophet Muhammad, (may peace and blessings be upon him), stood here and enjoined all of the Prophets and Angels (may peace and blessings be upon them all) in prayer and undertook his journey of Miraj?

As I contemplate 5 months on, for many reasons, this was the trip of a lifetime. I’m fortunate to have travelled before, but the beautiful land of Palestine has captured a piece of my heart, which no other place is likely to. I pray with all my heart, that the almighty favours and grants both me and every single one of you a first or second chance to visit this blessed place. Ameen! www.volunteerinpalestine.co.uk

AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 56 | SEPTEMBER 2014

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uwt_UK

ummahwelfaretrust

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ummahwelfaretrustuk

emergency winter appeal 1436

Support families this winter in: Syria, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chechnya, Iraq, Albania, India, Pakistan & Palestine

winter aid kit

£50

warm Blanket

£10

text WNTR66 £10 to 70070 to donate a blanket

Donate Now

0800 4 0800 11

Zakah, Sadaqah & Lillah ACCEPTED

01204 661 030

Charity Reg. No. 1000851

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AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

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In history...

Sixteen years after Israel came into existence, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was founded in January 1964.

Creation of PLO

Consisting of numerous guerrilla groups and political factions, the PLO was established during the first Arab summit convened by Egypt’s President Gamal Abdul Nasser who wanted to lead an Arab response to Israel. It was at this meeting that the Arab states voted to establish a body to organise the Palestinians in their Diaspora. Ahmad al-Shuqair, a Palestinian lawyer who had served as Saudi Arabia’s UN representative, was selected to head the group. Four months on, he convened the first Palestinian parliament in Jerusalem and the PLO was officially announced.

Since its inception, the PLO has been dominated by Al-Fatah and Yasser Arafat, who remained its chairman from 1969 until his death in 2004. Following the 1967 Six Day War, Palestinian guerrilla factions established themselves in refugee camps across the Middle East.

During their stay in Jordan, the Palestinians were perceived to have set up a state within a state. The PLO was subsequently expelled from Jordan and moved its headquarters to Beirut.

In 1974, the PLO received UN recognition and was named the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people; Yasser Arafat received a standing ovation at the General Assembly of the UN. A government in exile was recognised by Arab nations as a basis for a future Palestinian state.

In April 1975, civil war broke out in Lebanon and then in 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon. The Palestinian forces collapsed rapidly and the PLO was driven out. In 1983, fighting broke out in Lebanon between pro and anti Arafat forces. From his new headquarters in Tunisia, Arafat undertook a daring air and sea journey and slipped into Lebanon in disguise to join his fighters. After the 1987 Intifada and the 1991 Gulf War, the PLO proclaimed the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and in 1993 the PLO and Israel reached a peace agreement. The PLO leadership renounced armed struggle, recognised Israel and returned to the Occupied Territories. In spring 2002, Israeli forces surrounded Arafat’s headquarters. Arafat held out until October, when he was struck down by a mystery illness and eventually died in a Paris hospital in 2004.

Settlements cost Palestinians US Israel Supporters Pressure $1billion a year France to support Israel

The Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies released a report on Tuesday titled “Israeli Colony Activities: Dis-

astrous Effects on the Palestinian Economy”, in which it states that Palestinians lose $1billion annually due to il-

legal Israeli settlements. The study said that in the agricultural sector in the West Bank, Palestinian farmers lose $153 million in direct losses of their seasonal products. It claimed that Palestinian industries lose $212.7 million directly, the tourist sector in the West Bank loses $63 million and the construction sector loses $60 million. This results in direct losses of $488.7 million and the Palestinian economy also suffers $385.3 million in indirect losses.

Israel arrested 1,266 Palestinian children during 2014, according to sources in Occupied Palestine. The majority of those detained were arrested in the second half of 2014, particularly after the disappearance of three Israeli settlers in June. The figures show a 36 percent increase from the year before, and an 87 percent increase since 2011. Abdul Nasser Ferwana, director of the Bureau of Statistics at the Commission for Prisoner Affairs, said that the figures are dangerous and worrying. He added that 3,755 Palestinian children

have been detained by Israel over the past four years. Ferwana said that out of the 1,266 children detained in 2014, 700 (55.3 percent) were from Jerusalem. He

added that these children are often abused, tortured, humiliated and denied basic human rights, and that the international community needs to intervene.

Following the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris in early January, French Prime Minister Valls received a conference call from American Jewish leaders who asked if France would now take a more pro-Israel position fol-

lowing the attack on a Jewish supermarket in Paris. Valls responded by saying the attack in France had nothing to do with Israel/ Palestine. “You know how much friendship I feel toward Israel. The bond be-

tween France and Israel is very strong. Of course we can disagree on one political topic or another,” he said to members of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations.

Palestine Parkour

Over 1,200 Palestinian children arrested during 2014

Palestinian children aged 13 to 17 are learning to overcome their fears by practising a new sport called Parkour. This is the latest global trend setting hobby, and is a physical discipline of movement focused on overcoming obstacles. The children in Gaza are still devastated

from the attack in summer 2014, and this is a means by which they can begin to rebuild their confidence. Gaza may still be in rubble and young teenagers are using wasted land and space to compete with each other in this new hobby. Parkour is a training discipline devel-

oped from military courses but is practised by lots of different types of people from teenagers to Hollywood movie stars. For many who take up this hobby it becomes a form of therapy and has helped many Gazan children face the difficulties in their lives.

AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 57 | JANUARY 2015

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For further details on these FOA campaigns, please visit www.foa.org.uk

Palestine begin Asian Cup campaign

Palestine begin their first ever AFC Asian cup campaign with tough matches against Iraq, Japan and Jordan. The tournament marks the culmination of an amazing year for the ‘Lions of Canaan’, after qualifying with a one-nil victory over the Phillipines in the 2014 AFC Challege Cup in the Maldives last May.

The year also marked their highest ever FIFA world ranking, reaching 94th, after a previous high of 115th in 2008. Their previous matches against Iraq and Jordan both ended in defeats for the Palestinians, but the debutants hope their recent run of good form will carry them through.

AFC head condemns Israeli targeting of Palestinian footballers

The head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has declared his intention to tackle “illegal Israeli practices.” AFC President Shaikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa spoke out after Israeli forces stormed the headquarters of the Palestinian Football Association in Jerusalem in November, according to a report by Reuters. The incident came after a number of senior figures spoke out against the obstacles Palestinian players face in playing the game and traveling abroad for training. Israel was widely condemned in the summer for the appalling and contemptible crime of shooting the feet of two Palestinian footballers, Jawhar Nasser Jawhar and Adam Halabiya, preventing them for playing again.

This winter, Palestinian refugees desperately need your help. Call 020 8961 9993 or visit www.interpal.org Registered Charity No. 1040094

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