The 11th Jerusalem Conference is Concluded and Recommends the Establishment of an Islamic-Christian Body
30 November 2010
November 30th 2010. The participants in the 11th Jerusalem Conference which was organized at the University under the title "Jerusalem in the Arab and Islamic Consciousness" recommended the establishment of an Islamic-Christian Body that would stand against the Israeli policies dedicated to the elimination of the religious nature of the Holy City.
The conference attracted scholars and specialists and was organized in conjunction with the Israeli continuous attempts to eliminate any Islamic or Christian aspects of Jerusalem and impose its control over the city. Attendees included, the University Vice President for Community Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Hanoon, Dr. Khalil Odeh, Chair of the Conference's Preparatory Committee, Engineer Adnan Husseini, Governor of Jerusalem, in addition to others.
The conference was organized in recognition of Jerusalem's status as the center of Arab and Islamic attention. The city needs more support in order to survive in the face of the Israeli practices that aim to turn it into a pure Jewish city. Dr. Hanoon said that Jerusalem carries an important historical significance for the Palestinians, the Arabs and all Muslims. It is the land that witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, the battleground for history's most influential battles and the hub for different cultures and religions. The city contains many religious, traditional, historical and cultural monuments and buildings that bear witness to the various nations that lived in this land.
He added that Jerusalem is continuously facing oppression and elimination of its historical sites and its people are always victims to marginalization and inhuman practices. For this, the University has realized the danger that the Holy City is facing these days; therefore, it began to take its part in defending the city and preserve its Arab and Islamic identity. He explained that organizing the conference comes to raise awareness regarding the threats that Jerusalem is facing and to try to educate others about the importance of this city for Arabs and Muslims in general and the Palestinians in particular. He called upon all people to work hard to protect this city from elimination and its people from oppression and injustice.
Mr. Tayseer Nasrallah delivered a speech on behalf of Brigadier Jibrin Al-Bakri in which he spoke about the Israeli policies which aim to separate Jerusalem from the surrounding cities through land confiscation and house demolishing. He also called upon Arab and international communities to work on protecting the city and set clear strategies to ensure that this city would continue to exist as an iconic Arab and Islamic city.
Engineer Husseini spoke to the audience about the current situations in Jerusalem describing the harsh living conditions that people there are facing everyday. He also spoke about the systematic Israeli practices in the city which aim to expel the people from it, eliminate any Islamic, Arab and Christian aspects in the city and replace the Arab and Islamic names and designations of streets and buildings with Jewish ones.
He also described the settlements that are being built there and the fact that Palestinians are not allowed building on more than 13% of the area in East Jerusalem. In addition to this, he spoke about the cultural war that Israel has launched that targets the Palestinian culture and heritage in the city.
The participants agreed on the importance of Jerusalem in terms of its historical, cultural and religious significance. They called upon people to focus on protecting the city from injustice and destruction; people from different religions must come together to face the Israeli threat. It is equally important to educate people around the world with the important position that the Holy City occupies in the heart of people.
The participants also presented several work papers on different topics including the image of Jerusalem in the silent Palestinian literature, the Islamic stance towards Jerusalem, Jerusalem in Arab and Islamic intellect, Jerusalem in modern Arab narratives, Jerusalem in Christian consciousness, Jerusalem in Arabic language curriculum and Jerusalem in mass media.
In addition to the conference, a gallery was organized which included more than 150 images that describe and depict the Holy City and the various aspects of life there.
The participants called upon the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to take real steps to protect Jerusalem and assign a special day called Jerusalem Day. They also called for the condemnation of the Israeli unjust and inhuman practices against the city and its people.
