EXTREMIST ZIONIST SETTLERS BURN MOSQUE ENTRANCE IN SALFIT
West Bank, 13 Rabiul Awal 1435/15 January 2014 (MINA) – A number of fanatic Zionist settlers Wednesday at dawn infiltrated into Deir Estia town, near the central West Bank district of Salfit, and burnt the entrance its mosque before local notices and extinguished the fire spread out.
Head of the Deir Estia local counsel, Ayyoub Abu Hijla, told that the settlers managed to burn the main entrance of the mosque, and that the fire reached sections of the mosque’s interior, consuming some if its carpets.
“This is the second attack of its kind against this mosque”, Abu Hijla said, “A resident first noticed the settlers, and the fire, and alerted the residents who rushed to extinguish it”, International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) reported as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).
Abu Hijla further stated that the settlers also wrote racist graffiti, including Price Tag, bloody revenge, and other slurs. The attack comes just a few days after residents of Deir Estia managed to capture seventeen fanatic settlers who infiltrated into the village. Israeli soldiers later took the settlers away.
Mahmoud Al-Habbash, Minister of Waqf and Religious Affairs in the West Bank denounced the attack against the mosque, and the ongoing Israeli attacks against the holy sites, Palestinian lands and property.
He said that such attacks are “religious persecution against the Palestinian people, Muslims and Christians”, as the settlers frequently attacked Islamic and Christian holy sites and graveyards.
Al-Habbash further stated that the mosque will be fixed, and will be ready to welcome the worshipers very soon.
“Israel and its settlers are escalating their attacks against our people, our holy sites”, he said, “Those extremists have no regard to holy sites, such attacks reflect their racist mentality”.
He further said that protecting the holy sites in Palestine is not a sole responsibility of the Palestinians, and that the Palestinian people need the assistance of Arab and Islamic countries, and the help of every person who believes in dignity and justice around the globe.
The Islamic-Christian Committee in Palestine denounced the attack, and said it is part of frequent and ongoing Israeli assaults against holy sites, and Palestinian property, in direct violation of International Law.
“This is an attack that targets International Law, freedom of worship, Israel, the occupying power, is violating its obligations”, the committee said, “Freedom of worship is being targeted, and Israel is failing to ensure the protection of holy sites”.
Abbas Zaky, member of the Central Committee of the Fateh Movement, stated that the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu is protecting those fanatic settlers, and is allowing them to lash out and harass the Palestinians, and attack their holy sites.(T/P04/E1/mirajnews.com)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
