wfn.org | ELCJHL supports CRIHL demand for respect for all religious sites

["Allison Schmitt" <aschmitt@elcjhl.org>]

>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ELCJHL supports CRIHL demand for respect for all religious sites

Jerusalem - (Nov. 19, 2009) Rev. Dr. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, today affirmed the
statement of a Jerusalem interfaith organization calling for respect for the
city's holy sites.

"At the height of tensions in Jerusalem, Jewish, Muslim and Christian
leaders were able to come together to write a statement in order to bring
peace and justice to Jerusalem," Younan said. The bishop of the Middle
East's Lutheran church body is a founding member of the Council of Religious
Institutions of the Holy Land, which issued the statement, and is comprised
of local leaders of Jerusalem's Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities.

The Nov. 13 statement, which calls for respect for the holy sites of all
three religions, came in response to recent clashes on the al-Aqsa Mosque
compound. The statement reads: 
"The Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land regrets that the
holy sites in Jerusalem continue to be exploited for conflict in Jerusalem
and the Holy Land. The Council reaffirms its commitment to advancing respect
between religious communities in Jerusalem, the protection of each
community's holy sites and their sensitivities. 
"Accordingly, in the wake of recent violent events, we express our support
for all calls such as that of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Muhammed
Hussein, advocating non-violence and respect for the special and current
status of the Al Aqsa Mosque, and the official repeated position of the
Chief Rabbinate of Israel that it is prohibited by Jewish law (the Halacha)
[for Jews] to enter the area.
"Together we call for the respect for the holy sites of all three religions
and for peace of Jerusalem." 
Clashes broke out in late September when extremist Jews entered the area
with Israeli soldiers, according to a Ma'an News Agency report available at
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=228517.
This followed reports by the Islamic Christian Society in Support of
Jerusalem that said that Israel plans to allow Jewish worshippers exclusive
access to the compound to worship on 50 Jewish holidays.

Younan commended Sheikh Hussein for his positive speech of non-violence and
respect in response to recent events.

>Contact: 

>Allison K. Schmitt
>aschmitt@elcjhl.org
>PO Box 14076
>Muristan Road
>Jerusalem, Israel 91140
>Phone: +972-2-626-6861
>Mobile: 054-920-4125

>###