Israel bars Mahathir Muhammed from praying at Aqsa Mosque Al-Khalil, May 17, IRNA
Palestine-Mahathir
The Israeli occupation authorities on Monday prevented former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammed from visiting and praying at the Aqsa Mosque in al-Qods.

According to Palestinian officials accompanying the ex-Malaysian leader, the Israeli authorities refused to grant Mahathir and his aides a permit to enter Jerusalem.

The Zionist authorities gave no explanation for the draconian measure.

Palestinian Foreign Ministry official Abdullah Abdullah told IRNA that Mahathir was denied entry to Jerusalem because of his pro-Palestinian stands and outspoken criticism of the Israeli occupation.

Abdullah escorted Mahathir ever since he arrived from Jordan Monday morning.

"You know the Israeli behavior, they think they have the right to deny whomever they want entry to the holy city. It is pure insolence and arrogance of power."
The highest-ranking Muslim official in al-Quds Sheikh Muhammed Hussein castigated the "unjustified behavior," calling Israel a state that shows no respect for the freedom of religion for non-Jews.

"This shows that Israel can't be trusted to run or control non-Jewish holy places.

"Here is a man who came from a distant country in order to pray at the Mosque, and look how they are treating him," Hussein told IRNA.

A spokesman for the Zionist regime said Mahathir was barred from entering Jerusalem because he had not coordinated his visit with them.

At the Allenby border crossing, the Malaysian dignitary was kept waiting for two hours, also without any explanation.

In Ramallah, he met with Palestinian officials, including Prime Minister Ahmed Qrei' who explained to him the overall situation in the region.

Mahathir laid a wreath at Yasser Arafat's tomb in Ramallah.

According to Abdullah, the former Malaysian leader remarked that "what I have seen vindicates all my views and thoughts about this racist regime."
He was due to travel to Jenin to inspect the cite of the Israeli carnage at the Jenin refugee camp in the spring of 2002 when Israeli forces destroyed much of the camp, often right on top of terrified occupants, and killed scores of Palestinians, resistance fighters and civilians alike.

However, he reportedly called off the visit at the last moment after it became apparent that Israeli occupation soldiers manning roadblocks outside the city would turn him back.

Before returning to Jordan, Mahathir got closer to Jerusalem as much as he could by visiting the nearby town of Abu Dis, 2 miles east of the Noble Sanctuary.

There he was taken to the rooftop of a multi-story building where he could eye the Aqsa Mosque and the golden
Dome of the Rock through binoculars.

http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/lin...70022003118.htm

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