Palestinians flock back to Al-Aqsa Mosque

Arab News
July 28, 2017

Amman, Jul 28: Thousands of worshippers surged into Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday after Israel lifted security measures imposed at the site.

Reuters reported at least 113 hurt in scuffles with Israeli police. Chaotic scenes unfolded as police used stun grenades to try to control crowds charging forward when the last gate Muslims use to enter Al-Aqsa was opened after a standoff lasting several hours.

“We will sacrifice ourselves for Al-Aqsa,” chanted the throng outside Islam’s third-holiest site.

Several young men clambered onto the mosque’s roof to affix Palestinian flags, which Israeli police soon confiscated.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said during an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo: “Israel is playing with fire and will flare up a religious war. It will shift the grounds of the conflict from political to sectarian ones.”

In a statement, the ministers praised “the efforts of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (King Salman) to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

They called on the UN Security Council to oblige Israel to stop its policies and “illegal aggressions” in East Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.

The Saudi Royal Court on Thursday said King Salman had made contact with various world leaders regarding tensions in Jerusalem, sparked when Israel set up metal detectors at entry points to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Riyadh urged the US to exert all possible efforts to prevent the closure of the compound to Muslim worshippers and restrictions on their entry.

The Kingdom stressed the right of Muslims to pray and perform their religious duties at the mosque in peace.

King Salman stressed the need to restore calm in the area around the compound, and to respect the sanctity of the site.

Saudi Arabia also highlighted the importance of achieving a just and comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative, the two-state solution and relevant UN resolutions.

Nearly two weeks after being banned from praying in the mosque, Palestinians flocked there on Thursday afternoon for Asr prayers after Israel removed the metal detectors. This followed daily prayers on the hot pavement of Jerusalem’s streets.

The breakthrough was announced at a press conference on Thursday at the Islamic Court in Jerusalem.

It came after weeks of protests and high-level consultations that included Jordan’s King Abdallah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior US officials including Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump.

A statement was issued by the newly established Islamic Religious Reference Group, comprising the director of the Waqf, the Supreme Islamic Council, the mufti of Jerusalem and the Court of Islamic Shariah. The statement called for an end to the protests outside the mosque.

Naser Abu Sharifa, a senior guard at the mosque, told Arab News: “Today is a wonderful day that has brought back a sliver of our pride and dignity, and allowed us to reunite with our beloved mosque.”

Comments

s
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Sunday, 30 Jul 2017

the photo is of Dome of the Rock(with golden dome) this is not the Al Aqsa mosque

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Agencies
May 25,2020

Abu Dhabi, May 25: Dusty weather to persist in the UAE on Monday as well with a chance of rainfall in parts of the country, the national Met department reported.

According to the NCM, the weather today will be fair to partly cloudy, with a chance of some convective clouds formation by afternoon - eastward and northward - extending to some internal areas that may be associated with some rainfall.

The weather will get humid by night and Tuesday morning over some coastal areas.

NCM predicts a wet Eid break.

Sharjah Police issued a weather warning as heavy rain flooded roads in Sharjah's Kalba among other areas.

Moderate to fresh winds will gain strength during the day causing blowing dust and sand.

The sea will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in Oman Sea.

Earlier on Sunday, a weather alert was issued by authorities as moderate to heavy rain - accompanied with hail - lashed parts of the UAE. A rainbow in Dubai skies cheered up residents, celebrating a unique Eid this year amid the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic - by mostly staying home.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Abu Dhabi, Jun 17: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has allowed students still enrolled in universities overseas to obtain exceptions to attendance policies at their respective academic institutions in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the ministry said that the move stems from its keenness to ensure the continuity of education for those students and to maintain effective channels of communication with them.

Students' applications for exceptions to academic attendance in universities due to Covid-19 should be submitted following the end of the academic year, and not after the academic semester, via the following email: [email protected].

In their email, students have to explain the reasons for the required exceptions and should include an official message from the university concerned.

Scholarship approval issued by the Ministry of Education for studying abroad should also be attached.

The student's score reports for the academic years spent in the host countries and the duration of each academic year should also be attached, in addition to an entry and exit report of the student from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.

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Agencies
May 28,2020

Sharjah, May 28: The Ministry of Interior has warned the public against visiting wadis during bad weather conditions, including rainy seasons, to avoid the risk of getting caught in flash floods that could endanger their lives.

A video posted on its official Instagram account depicted several such incidents involving cars being swept away by floods.

The warning comes after four people were found dead this week in Sharjah's Wadi Al Helo, an area hit by floods during heavy rains that lashed the emirate, authorities said.

The National Search and Rescue Centre (NSRC) found the bodies as it conducted an operation to look for seven people who were reported missing amid the unstable weather conditions.

In a separate incident yesterday, 20 passengers of a bus that got stuck in Wadi Hatta's Umm Al Nosor area in Dubai were also rescued by police after their vehicle was swept away by floods.

The ministry urged the public to follow the directives issued for their own safety.

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