In memory of its burning

Al Aqsa still under occupation

Saturday August 21^st, marks 41 years since Michael Dennis William Rohan, an American Israeli Jew, torched the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem with gasoline.

The resulting fire destroyed part of the mosque along with the pulpit that had belonged to Saladin, some 800 years before.

Rohan’s attack on Al Aqsa was not unique. Since Israel occupied Jerusalem in 1967, the Jewish state has attempted to eradicate not only Al Aqsa, but most vestiges of Islam and Christianity in that city. By renaming streets in Hebrew; refusing to maintain historic non-Jewish religious sites so that they fall into disrepair; tunneling under Al Aqsa mosque and other tactics, Israel is repainting the face of Jerusalem as strictly Jewish by erasing any indication the city also is home to Muslims and Christians.

In the past week, Israeli plans to surround the Al Aqsa compound with underground tunnels were revealed. The tunnels will connect the compound with what is called  the Jewish Lane. They will also make it easier to deploy Israeli police or soldiers during any future raids there, according to the Middle East Monitor website.

Also this week, Israel dug up and destroyed the last tombs in Mamilla cemetery, a burial site for some of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as well as other Islamic scholars. The demolition is taking place so the American Jewish organization, the Simon Wiesenthal Center of Los Angeles, can construct the “Museum of Tolerance” there.

In addition, Israeli officials confirmed that a military exercise depicting a raid on Al Aqsa by Occupation Forces was conducted, according to the Middle East Monitor.

Christians also have their battles with Israeli authorities, who are threatening to cut off the water supply to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher if they don’t pay a new water bill that dates all the way back to 1948. Since the Ottoman Empire, water has been supplied for free to the church. That arrangement was honored by the British during the Mandate period, by the Jordanians and also the Israelis. Until now.

These are just a few examples of the atrocities taking place because of Zionist greed and malice.

The American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) stands in solidarity with the people of Jerusalem.  We are all responsible for this holy city, where our beloved Prophet (pbuh) lead all the prophets in prayer and then ascended into heaven.

AMP urges you to educate yourself on the issue of Palestine and Jerusalem and then to speak up to anybody and everybody. We must work educate the American public InshaAllah, one day soon, we will all be able to pray together at the free Al Aqsa.