TURKISH DELEGATION VISITS AL-AQSA MOSQUE

Turkish - Al Aqsa Jerusalem, 20 Shafar 1434/02 January 2013 (PIC/MINA) – A Turkish delegation has visited yesterday afternoon Al-Aqsa Mosque to follow up the renovation work at the dome of Chain adjacent to the Dome of the Rock at Al Aqsa Mosque.

The delegation included the senior adviser to the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Avkan Ala, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Turkey Safer Turan and other Turkish figures.

The delegation was received by the general director of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, Sheikh Azzam Khatib, and head of the Council of Religious Endowments, Sheikh Abdel Azim Salhab, and a number of waqf department’s staff.

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The Turkish delegation has met during the visit the Director General of Awqaf and Chairman of Awqaf department, Sheikh Abdel Azim Salhab in their office, to examine the restoration work at the Dome of Chain, where they visited the Museum of Islamic Art in Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is being restored by Turkey’s international development agency TIKA.

During the Turkish delegation’s visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque senior adviser to the Turkish Prime Minister, Ala Avkan, stressed on the close relationship between the Turkish and Palestinian peoples.

“We are proud of any work we are doing for Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially in retaining the Islamic monuments, and we consider it our religious duty towards the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he added.

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He expressed readiness of the Turkish side for any restoration work for the Islamic monuments in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, stressing on the sanctity of al-Aqsa mosque and Palestinian land in general. (T/R-020/R-006).

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)