Defending Jerusalem is a religious duty: Grand mufti

CAIRO – 22 December 2017: “It is clear that Jerusalem’s heritage must be defended strongly for all eternity, especially since evidence ties both sacred mosques (al-masjedayn al-haram) and Al-Aqsa in the heart of every Muslim,” the Grand Mufti of the Republic, Shawki Allam, stated on Friday.

The statement came during an interview with Allam on “Hewar Al-Mufti” (A Conversation with the Mufti) program on ON LIVE channel. Allam further added that Jerusalem is “deeply entrenched in every Muslim and Arab individual’s consciousness, as it is also in every Christian’s consciousness as well.” Allam asserted that Jerusalem is a sacred site for every heavenly religion and will remain Arabic as “God intended”.

“Trump’s decision has trodden over all international relations and their boundaries,” he emphasized during the interview.

Allam stressed that Egypt’s role in solving the Palestinian issue is pivotal. “Egypt is the leader of the cause and has taken charge of it. The Jerusalem question cannot be solved without Egypt’s endeavors.”

Sparking much controversy since U.S President Donald Trump’s Jerusalem decision, the Jerusalem question heads the Middle East’s agenda. Earlier on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

held a joint press conference in Paris

to discuss the matter.

Both maintained that the only solution to the Jerusalem question is to reach a two-state solution where East Jerusalem is acknowledged as Palestine’s official capital while West Jerusalem is acknowledged as Israel’s capital.

“After Trump’s decision and moving the embassy to Jerusalem, the U.S. is no longer a credible mediator in the conflict and we will not accept its mediation,” President Abbas stated during the conference. “Anyone who makes a decision like that is not capable of finding a peaceful solution to any conflict in the Middle East,” he added.

Abbas stressed that he aims for a two-state solution with Israel. “Israel is our neighbor, we want to have peace with it, we want to live in peace side by side.”

Until they find a peaceful solution that satisfies both parties, Abbas has called and stressed on Palestinians that they need to demonstrate peacefully. During his speech he reaffirmed several times that “not one Palestinian bullet was fired” during any of the demonstrations that they have held. “Yet, many Palestinians have fallen dead due to Israeli bullets.”

On his part, President Macron stressed that France will do its best to ensure that they work with both the Palestinians and Israelis.

“The U.S. sometimes wants to lead unilaterally and then it decides it wants peace between Israel and Palestine… I have clarified that the solution has to be a two-state endeavor. We speak to everyone, and we work without making declarations, and we work to find a solution when the right moment comes. France won’t force any diplomatic solutions.”