Palestinian fatwa rejects French proposal to deploy international monitors in Jerusalem

The Supreme Islamic Council is the highest religious authority for Muslims in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
A Border Police officer overlooks Temple Mount and the Western Wall (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
A Border Police officer overlooks Temple Mount and the Western Wall
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The Palestinian Supreme Islamic Council ruled on Monday that it is forbidden for Muslims to accept the idea of “internationalizing” or “Judaizing” Jerusalem.
The head of the council, Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, who previously served as the Palestinian mufti, made the ruling in a new fatwa (Islamic religious decree).
The Supreme Islamic Council is the highest religious authority for Muslims in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.
The latest fatwa states that it is religiously prohibited for Muslims to accept the “internationalization” or “Judaization” of Jerusalem.
In his fatwa, Sheikh Sabri pointed out that the idea of turning Jerusalem into an international city had been proposed over the past few years, but without success.
The fatwa refers to a recent French idea calling for the deployment of international monitors at the Temple Mount.
The “Judaization” of Jerusalem refers to what the Palestinians claim is an ongoing Israeli attempt to erase the Arab and Islamic “character and identity” of the city. The Palestinians claim that Israel has been working towards turning Jerusalem into a Jewish city.
“At present, the occupied city of Jerusalem is being subjected to a campaign of Judaization on various levels,” the fatwa argued.
“The goal is to erase the character of the city and replace it was a fake Jewish identity.”