Palestinian officials condemned on Saturday the intention of American Zionist groups to hold a ceremony at the Mammilla cemetery in West Jerusalem, considering it a desecration of the Islamic graveyard and a flagrant violation of international law, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
According to WAFA, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the Chief Islamic Justice, Mahmoud Habbash said in two separate statements that the historic cemetery includes the remains of Muslim leaders and residents of Jerusalem who have been buried there for more than a thousand years.
Foreign Ministry, Chief Islamic Justice condemn American Zionist plans to desecrate the Muslim Mammilla cemetery in Jerusalem.https://t.co/fMzp4zgl42 pic.twitter.com/XLbINY1oCN
— Wafa News Agency – English (@WAFANewsEnglish) October 9, 2021
The ceremony is organized by a number of high-ranking US officials from the administration of former President Donald Trump, led by former ambassador to Israel David Friedman – who resides in an illegal Jewish settlement – and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is known for his Zionist positions, WAFA noted.
Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in the statement that the event is a provocative attack on a historic Islamic cemetery, and a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions.
.@RamzyBaroud & Romana Rubeo: #Israel's Judaisation of #Palestine is failing @AJEnglish https://t.co/xWVQJZJSSv
— APAN (@APAN4Palestine) February 18, 2019
In the statement, the Ministry called on the current US administration not to participate in this event, which contradicts US policy regarding the future of the city of Jerusalem. It also called on international organizations to condemn and put a stop to the continuous violations of Palestinian political, cultural, historical, legal and religious rights in the holy city.
On his part, Habbash said that such a step constitutes a full-fledge war crime as it constitutes a blatant assault on the remains of Palestinian ancestors and a grave insult to all Muslims.
(WAFA, PC, Social Media)
