Jewish group instigate to demolish mosque in Jerusalem

Wafa- Extremist Jewish organization, the Israel Land Fund (ILF), Tuesday instigated in a press release to demolish Muhammad al-Fateh mosque in Silwan, a town south of Jerusalem, under the pretext of 'illegal' restoration work going on in the mosque.

The mosque, also known as Ras al-Amud mosque, was built in 1964, before Israel occupied East Jerusalem. It is located on a hilltop that overlooks the Old City, near the Jewish cemetery which was built on Muslim endowment lands, properties owned by the Islamic charitable trust (Waqf).
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ILF, which funds and finances extremist settlements activities in the area, aims to gain support from prominent Jewish figures that are currently participating in the Zionist conference held in Jerusalem.

Extremist right-wing ILF founder, Arieh King, accused the Jerusalem Municipality, in the press release, of being lax on shutting down the 'illegal' restoration work that aims to expand the mosque.

Jewish settlers broke into the mosque last January, claiming that Jerusalem Municipality had issued an order to stop the renovation work. They called the Israeli police who also broke into the mosque, looking for illegal workers from the West Bank.

Imam of Ras al-Amud mosque, Abu Diab, told WAFA that mosques are not subject to extremist plans. “This mosque is the southern gate of al-Aqsa mosque, and we will protect it with all means possible and allowed by international law.”

He called on official and legal authorities, especially the Islamic Waqf Department, to work against Jewish plans and protect holy sites in Jerusalem.