Sheikh Al-Azhar: Visiting J’lem now confers legitimacy on the occupation state

Sheikh Al-Azhar: Visiting J’lem now confers legitimacy on the occupation state

CAIRO, Sheikh Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb reiterated his rejection to visit occupied Jerusalem at the present time and called on all Muslims not to visit it through Israeli visas, saying such an act means recognizing the legitimacy of the Israeli occupation.

These remarks came in response to the declared intention of Egyptian minister of religious affairs Mahmoud Al-Zaqzouq to visit Jerusalem at the invitation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah.

Sources at Al-Azhar university said that a disagreement over this issue happened between Sheikh Tayeb and Zaqzouq, where many Egyptian scholars approved the former’s refusal to visit Jerusalem under occupation.

They added that Sheikh Al-Azhar sent a letter to Zaqzouq illustrating the religious view over the matter and warning him of accepting the invitation, but the latter rebuffed the advice and welcomed the invitation he received from PA official Mahmoud Al-Habbash.

Sheikh Al-Azhar also received a similar invitation from Tayseer Al-Tamimi, the chief justice of the PA, who called on him along with father Shenouda and all Muslims and Christians to visit Jerusalem at the pretext of facing Israel’s plans to Judaize it.

For his part, Saudi preacher Mohsen Al-Awaji strongly denounced the PA chief of justice for inviting all Muslims and Christians to visit Jerusalem, saying this invitation could be useless and for media purposes unless it was intended for urging the nations to break the blockade on Gaza and liberate Jerusalem.

Awaji told Quds Press that the only way to protect Jerusalem from Judaization is to mobilize all Muslims to fight for their holy city, affirming that Jerusalem cannot be defended by visits, slogans, conferences and media statements.