Waqf Illegally Transforms Mercy Gate into Mosque, State Monitors Situation – Arab-Israeli Conflict



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Photo of the structure of the Gate of Mercy from the Facebook pages of faithful Muslims - June 2, 2019

Photo of the structure of the Gate of Mercy taken from Facebook pages of faithful Muslims – June 2, 2019.
(photo credit: REGAVIM)

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The right-wing NGO Regavim claimed that the state had admitted to the High Court of Justice that it was aware that the Waqf had illegally transformed the Mercy Gate area on the Temple Mount into a mosque, but objected at its closure.

The organization said Friday morning that, in response to its urgent request presented earlier this month, the state had declared that "the Knesset [had] "Refrained from introducing prayer symbols" into the Mercy Gate compound.The police contradicted him, stating that "the Waqf has installed a speaker for the muezzin" , said the appointed person in a mosque to lead and recite the call to prayer, mats in the compound. "

Police said that "the work also included the installation of a number of light fixtures, replacing a cabinet, changing carpets and repairing cracks in the building. The Israeli police, as well as the political level, constantly monitor all changes in the compound, while implementing an enlightened enforcement policy. "

Regvim also baderted that "the state sought to reject the request for an interim injunction preventing further work on the site, claiming that the Waqf had only performed a few" minor works "and that "no sign of prayer was allowed in the area". "

In March, it was revealed that the Jordanian Waqf, which runs the site, rejected the Israeli court's decision to close the site and end its renovation of the historic site. Regavim petitioned on this, but the High Court gave Waqf 90 days to respond.

However, earlier this month, on the eve of Jerusalem Day, Regavim "again submitted an urgent request to the High Court of Justice to obtain an interim injunction for the closure of the Mercy Gate Building on the Temple Mount, on the basis of documents relating to the activities of the Muslim Waqf in recent days, "he said in a statement.

In February, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the authorities to prevent the opening of a mosque at Mercy Gate, but this was not respected and the construction was completed. continued.

The statement also points out that the Jerusalem Court of First Instance ordered the closure of the complex, which prohibits the Waqf from interfering in the building, but that the police do not execute it.

"The Waqf continues to renovate the complex and turn it into another permanent mosque on the Temple Mount," Regavim said.

Commenting on the case, Regavim's lawyer, Avi Segal, said in a statement: "Unfortunately, the state simply does not tell the truth, but the police described in detail in its position the works. [being done on Mercy Gate]who can not be called a minor. "

"What's more important than installing a loudspeaker for the muezzin and placing new carpets?", He's quizzed. "The Waqf does not use any hints, it makes this place a mosque, quite simply."

"According to the law, it is forbidden to plant a single nail in an old building without the approval of the Ministerial Committee," said Segal. "And after all the details given by the police, the state [still] affirms in the same breath that there is no place to issue a temporary injunction to stop the work [taking place]. "

"It's just outrageous," he concluded.

Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman contributed to this report.

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