Shaykh Raed Salah, a Palestinian freedom activist, was arrested in London during a speaking tour. The UK Home Office issued an exclusion order against him based on allegations of anti-Semitism by an MP. He was detained for two weeks in prison and a deportation center without access to his lawyers before a court granted him bail. The document discusses his arrest and imprisonment as well as other issues related to Palestine such as the effects of the blockade on Gaza's health conditions, restrictions at the Rafah border crossing, and Israel forcing its curriculum in East Jerusalem schools.
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AQSA NEWS
QUARTERLY FREE WWW.AQSA.ORG.UK ISSUE 47 RAMADHAN 2011
Friends of Al-Aqsa newspaper since 1997
Shaykh Raed Salaah ar-
rived in Britain on Saturday
June 25th 2011 to begin
a well publicised speak-
ing tour. He was invited by
the Middle East Monitor
and was to address events
across the country including
two meetings in Parliament.
On Tuesday June 28th, three
days into his tour, he was ar-
rested at his hotel in London
on the orders of the Home
Secretary Theresa May.
The Home Office stated
that an Exclusion Order
had been issued against
him and Shaykh Raed was
not allowed to visit the UK
because of allegations of
Anti-Semitism against him
made by one MP in Parlia-
ment. Despite the existence
of this Order, Shaykh Raed
was not informed, and nor
were any of the organisa-
tions which were planning
to host him during his visit.
Further to this, a number
of MPs who he was due to
speak along-side were not
informed either.
The Exclusion Order
was described as a fiasco by
many, and it later emerged
that the reason Shaykh
Raed was not stopped at
Border Control at Heathrow
Airport was because the Or-
der was mistakenly sent to
Terminal 5 and he arrived at
Terminal 1.
Following his arrest,
he was sent to a deporta-
tion centre near Heathrow
Airport. His lawyers con-
tested the deportation and
he was then moved to a
prison near Bedford, and
spent two weeks there. He
was denied access to his
lawyers for over three days
while in prison. An initial
bail hearing failed despite
the Adjudicator agree-
ing that the Home Office’s
evidences were weak. An
appeal hearing which took
place a week later before
Justice Stadlen at the High
Court was successful and
Continued on page 5.
Shaykh Raed Salah
Review
The Night Journey
Al-Isra’wa
Al-Mi’raj
Page 11
One World Interview
Freedom for
Palestine
In memory of
Vittorio
Arrigoni
Page 15
A historic handshake
2
Recipe
14 Page 19
Inside...
Despite virtually no
air-play on commercial ra-
dio stations in Britain, the
track ‘Freedom for Pales-
tine’ reached the Top 10 in
the Indie Charts. The track
is fast becoming the an-
them of the Free Palestine
movement and comes in
an acapella version with-
out any Music.
The song was produced
by OneWorld and was a
collaboration between a
number of artists. They
were ecstatic with the
mainstream chart posi-
tion, saying “We’ve broken
the wall of silence on Pal-
estine in the music indus-
try by releasing the first
ever mainstream single in
solidarity with Palestine.
From the muddy fields of
Glastonbury to the occu-
pied streets of Gaza we’ve
inspired thousands of peo-
ple around the world.”
‘Freedom for Palestine’
reaches Top 10
Check the label
Boycott Israeli Dates
checkthelabel.org.uk • Page 9
Cameron
dumps JNF
‘Flytilla’activists
face Israelidetention
Palestine
a real adventure
● Palestinian freedom activist
imprisoned in Britain
● Shame on the Home Office
Page 4 Page 5 Page 11
2. INSIDE PALESTINE
02 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
A historic handshake
The effects of the Arab
Spring are visible across the
Middle East. The month of
May witnessed a landmark
agreement between Hamas
and Fatah, who have been
bitterly divided for the last
four years.
Israel, which has until
now, used the divided Pal-
estinian leadership as a
reason not to pursue peace
talk agreements, now says
it will not negotiate with a
Palestinian leadership that
includes Hamas. Israel ini-
tially stopped the transfer
of tax revenues to the Pales-
tinian Authority, effectively
stealing tax, but then agreed
to release the funds a few
days later.
It was the Palestin-
ian people that took to the
streets urging their respec-
tive leaderships to unify
and put forward a strong
Palestinian voice. The result
was an Egyptian-brokered
reconciliation deal between
Hamas and Fatah. The deal
calls for an interim govern-
ment to run the occupied
West Bank and Gaza Strip
and to prepare for parlia-
mentary and presidential
elections within a year.
This move is seen as
a crucial step towards es-
tablishing an independent
Palestinian state along the
1967 borders which will be
discussed at the UN General
Assembly in September.
University students in
Gaza celebrated with rallies
and songs. Ahmed Abu Arar
who was present said: “We
are celebrating the achieve-
ment of this victory to end
divisions and send a mes-
sage to the Israeli occupa-
tion that your threats will
not deter us from achieving
reconciliation.”
Racing cars in Gaza
Students at a UN run vo-
cational college in Gaza have
shown that they are deter-
mined to succeed against
theodds.Ninestudentshave
spent four months building
a racing car to enter into the
annual ‘Formula Student’
competition for engineering
students from all over the
world. The competition is
judged in the UK.
Despite all their hard
work,however,thecarmade
in Gaza will not race in the
UK as the team who built it
have been denied visas by
the British embassy in Am-
man, as they lack a financial
sponsor.
Palestinian population
Latest statistics show
that the current population
of the Occupied Palestinian
Territories of the West Bank
and Gaza Strip has reached
4.2 million. There are a
further 1.5 million in Israel,
which takes the total popu-
lation to nearly 5.7 million.
This does not include refu-
gees in other surrounding
countries. There is a slightly
lower number of Jewish
Israel’s living in Israel re-
flecting how the Palestinian
population in Israel and the
occupied territories now
outnumbers the Jewish Is-
raeli population.
Banning Boycott
Israel’s parliament
has approved a Bill mak-
ing it illegal for Israeli’s
to boycott any part of the
Israeli state or its set-
tlements on illegally oc-
cupied Palestinian land.
Under the proposed law,
those calling for boycott
could be sued by busi-
nesses who claim to have
suffered damages due to
its effect. Amnesty Inter-
national has called this
an attack on freedom of
expression.
The Bill was not popu-
lar even in Israel, with the
newspaper Haaretz stating
in an editorial that it would
“subvert Israeli democ-
racy”.
Boycott is viewed as a
legitimate form of protest
and was heavily utilised
during South African
Apartheid in order to send
a powerful message to the
South African government.
A similar form of segrega-
tion and oppression has
occurred in Palestine and
the boycott movement is
therefore seen as not only
legitimate, but necessary.
Palestinian student killed
A 21 year old Palestinian
university student was shot
dead by Israeli troops in the
occupied West Bank early
in July. Ibrahim Sarhan was
shot twice in the thigh and
bled to death. The official
Israeli statement claims Mr
Sarhan was fleeing arrest.
3. INSIDE PALESTINE
ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 03
Critical health conditions in Gaza
The health condition of
Gaza’s 1.5 million civilians
has reached a critical point.
The restrictive measures
used to control the border
have prevented essential
medicines from entering
Gaza. Official Israeli sources
still claim that there is no
siege in Gaza, whilst Gazan’s
silently suffer its effects.
Gaza’smedicalresources
have depleted to critical lev-
els. Severe shortages have
meant that the availabil-
ity of medical services have
been drastically reduced.
According to Gaza’s Health
Ministry, the medical short-
age endangers the lives of
many innocent Palestinian
civilians, and has meant that
some patients have neared
death. Anwar Nahid, who is
18, suffers diabetes. Medi-
cal shortages have meant
that he cannot be effectively
treated for this common dis-
ease, and as a result, doctors
have warned Anwar of the
high possibility of a stroke.
An international inves-
tigation was carried out
in April 2011, in order to
examine whether there
was a dangerous medical
shortage in Gaza. This was
undertaken by two doctors
who were sent by the Nor-
wegian government. The
doctors reported: “The Gaza
Strip still has a persistent
drug shortage, despite some
recent Israeli and Egyptian
talks about easing the strict
blockade...”Theseconditions
are worsened by the lack of
adequate storage, transport
and incineration facilities.
In actual fact, the report was
similar to the investigation
conducted after the war in
Gaza, in 2009. Devastat-
ingly, not much has changed.
No free passage to Gaza
News of the opening of
the Rafah border crossing
between Gaza and Egypt
signalled a more positive
relationship between the
neighbours which would
contribute to efforts the
ease the blockade. However,
the reality on the ground is
somewhat different.
Many viewed the deci-
sion to open the border as
a move away from policies
of the former Egyptian gov-
ernment which restricted
access to Gaza and was com-
plicitwithIsraeliaggression.
Despite the claimed open-
ing of the border crossing,
however, restrictions placed
on Palestinians making the
journey in or out of Gaza are
in fact as tight as ever.
Gazan’s are made to
jump through many hoops
and are examined based on
age, gender and purpose of
visit. They are also made
to wait for several hours
(for some, it may be several
days), without being told
what they are waiting for, or
why they are not allowed to
pass.
Those who are sent back
are escorted by unsympa-
thetic officers, to the same
open spot to be collected
by the next bus. They are
treated like criminals.
Palestinians need a far
better relationship with
Egypt, based on respect
and co-operation, especially
since the Rafah crossing is
the only Gaza crossing point
that is not under direct Is-
raeli control.
Naziha Al-Sebakhi, a dis-
tressed Palestinian at the
Rafah border pleas, “I beg
you to open the crossing…
You brothers of Egypt have
humiliated us for so long.
Isn’t it time we had our dig-
nity back?”
Whilst the permanent
opening of Rafah is a step
forward, and will mean
that food and medication
will now be more readily
available, it is essential that
the Rafah border crossing
is a free and open crossing
where Gazans are treated
with dignity and respect.
Further to this, there are
still items that Israel insists
cannot be allowed into Gaza
– such as cement. The lack
of such construction mate-
rials means that the homes
and schools destroyed in the
Israeli offensive two years
ago are still lying as they
were as piles of rubble.
Nakba protests end
in violence
Several people were
killed and scores wounded
as Palestinians gathered to
commemorate the Nakba
of 1948.
The Nakba refers to the
mass exodus of Palestin-
ians from their homeland
during the war in which
the State of Israel was
formed. Around 700,000
Palestinians fled or were
expelled from their homes
and have not been allowed
to return since. Palestin-
ians gathered across the
occupied territories – in
Gaza, the Golan Heights,
West Bank and Ras Maroun
in Lebanon, but were faced
with Israeli bullets.
In Gaza, a group of Pal-
estinians, including chil-
dren were shot at by Israeli
soldiers as they marched
into what Israel terms a
‘buffer zone’, an empty
area between checkpoints
where Israeli soldiers gen-
erally shoot anything that
moves.
One of the largest dem-
onstrations was held near
theQalandiyarefugeecamp
in the West Bank where
100 protestors marched.
Tear gas canisters were
used against them result-
ing in several injuries.
Syrian state television
reported similar incidents
on the Syrian side of the
Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights. Israeli Prime Min-
ister Benjamin Netanyahu
claimed that he instructed
soldiers to act with re-
straint.
Israeli curriculum in
Palestinian schools
Schools in East Jeru-
salem are being forced to
teach the Israeli curriculum.
In March 2011, the Jerusa-
lem municipality stated that
public schools in East Jeru-
salem will be obliged to use
textbooks and class materi-
als prepared and approved
by the Jerusalem Education
Authority – a joint body be-
tween the Isreali Ministry
of Education and the mu-
nicipality. East Jerusalem is
recognised internationally
as occupied Palestinian ter-
ritory.
The move which is seen
as ‘politically motivated’ has
been opposed by Palestin-
ian schools, and strikes are
expected to occur in East
Jerusalem to coincide with
the new school year.
“The real reason behind
all this story of the curricu-
lum is actually political,”
Samir Jibril, director of the
East Jerusalem Education
Bureau said. “They are
actually pushing towards
implementing the Israeli
curriculum because this
will politically mean that
East Jerusalem is not an oc-
cupied territory,”
this will politically mean
that East Jerusalem is not an
occupied territory
“ “
4. GLOBAL NEWS
04 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
OECD stops
Lieberman speech
The Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) re-
fusedtoallowIsraeliForeign
Minister Avigdor Lieberman
to deliver a speech on peace
policy at the annual confer-
ence, saying that it would be
“inappropriate”. OECD offi-
cials called upon Lieberman
to address economic issues
instead. However, he then
decided not to speak at all.
Cameron dumps JNF
UK Prime Minister
David Cameron stepped
down as patron of the Jew-
ish National Fund (JNF)
in May. The JNF has been
widely criticised for taking
Palestinian land and plant-
ing forests and parks in
its place, and has recently
been found to have torn
down a Bedouin village as
part of a forestation plan.
The JNF however, claims
to be a caretaker for the
land and people of Israel.
Several UK Prime Minis-
ters have been JNF patrons,
including Gordon Brown
and Tony Blair. Cameron’s
decision to step down
as patron now, means
that none of the current
party leaders are patrons.
Downing Street has
stated that the decision
was simply a result of a
review of the Prime Minis-
ter’s charity connections.
However, Sarah Colborne,
Campaign Director of the
Palestine Solidarity Cam-
paign (PSC) stated that the
move “..reflects the fact it
is now impossible for any
serious party leader to lend
public support to racism.”
Sofiah Macleod of the
UK-based ‘Stop the JNF’
Campaign said that Mr.
Cameronwithdrewsupport
after a lot of campaigning.
She states, “There has been
a change in public opinion
and awareness about Is-
rael’s behaviour and there
was specific pressure on
[Cameron] to step down
from the JNF. We believe he
hassteppeddownasaresult
of this political pressure.
Given the establishment
support that the JNF has
received, it’s not a decision
he will have taken lightly.”
‘Flytilla’ activists face
Israeli detention
Agroupofpeaceactivists
flew to Ben Gurion airport in
Israel during the first week
of July, stating that Palestine
was their destination, in a
bid to show solidarity with
the Palestinian people. They
faced the harsh reality of
Israeli detention as a result.
Activists were separated
from each other and taken
on a six-hour bus drive to a
prison.
They were later given
declaration forms to sign,
which stated that they
would not visit the Palestin-
ian territories or take part in
protests. Some were given
deportation forms.
The inspiration for the
protest emanated from
Palestinian voices within
the occupied territories
who told campaigners that
whilst the rights of Pales-
tinians are entirely disre-
garded, the rights of visitors
to Palestine are also abused
as anyone wanting to visit
Palestine must lie to border
police about their destina-
tion, or be sent back.
Therefore the activists
taking part in this cam-
paign, dubbed the ‘flytilla’,
who came predominantly
from all over Europe, openly
declared that they wished to
visit the West Bank. Activ-
ists from France and Swit-
zerland were not allowed to
board the flight after Israel
created a blacklist of banned
individuals.
BBC tired of
Complaints
The head of News at
the BBC has complained
that ‘obsessive’ critics who
complain about its coverage
of the Middle East conflict
are costing the corporation
a lot of money. She was re-
ferring to the 8 month long
investigation that had to be
launched when 1,500 peo-
ple complained about the
excessively biased reporting
in Panorama’s ‘Death in the
Med’.
5. GLOBAL NEWS
ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 05
Agrexco feels the pinch
Early in June, over 100
activists from nine coun-
tries across Europe gath-
ered in Montpellier, France
for the first European
Forum Against Agrexco as
the Boycott Divestment and
Sanctions campaign (BDS)
continues to be stepped up.
Agrexco is Israel’s larg-
est agricultural exporter of
fresh fruit and vegetables –
grown on illegal settlements
in the West Bank. The Israeli
government have a 50%
stake in the company and
the company’s complicity
in human rights violations
against Palestinians has
made it a key target for BDS
campaigners.
The meeting in France,
which was attended by del-
egates from Italy, Switzer-
land, UK, Netherlands, Ger-
many, Spain, Belgium and
Palestine; is a hugely sig-
nificant move, particularly
since European markets are
the largest consumers of
Agrexco products, under the
company name of Carmel.
Following the meeting,
a business report revealed
that Agrexco was facing
huge financial difficulties.
In 2010, it faced an operat-
ing loss of €25 million and
a net loss of €33 million.
Campaigners are convinced
that the loss in business has
been the result of the BDS
campaign.
UN discusses Palestinian state
Over the past sev-
eral months, a number of
countries have indicated
that they will recognise a
Palestinian state at the UN
General Assembly this Sep-
tember.
Mahmoud Abbas has
confirmed that the call to
be recognised as a state
along the 1967 borders, and
thereafter being accepted as
a member of the UN, will be
presented at the Assembly.
Whilst Israel has received
the news with worry and
criticism, the number of
countries which now rec-
ognise the Palestinian state
stands at over 120. Britain,
France, Norway, Portugal,
Ireland, Denmark, Spain and
Italy have all upgraded the
status of delegations from
the Palestinian territories,
to that of diplomatic mis-
sions and embassies – a po-
sition usually only reserved
for states.
Whilst US President
Obama has not flatly op-
posed the move, the general
lack of support from the US
would not necessarily af-
fect Palestinian statehood
if recognition was accepted
by 150 countries. The result
would be that the relation-
ship between Israel and
Palestine would shift from
one between a state and
non-state actor, to being
between two states. As a
result, it is argued, Pales-
tinians will have greater
diplomatic clout to insist
upon a relationship based
on sovereign equality.
However, many fear that
the recognition of a Pales-
tinian state may be a token
gesture, whilst the situa-
tion on the ground remains
largely the same.
Israeli war crimes
suspect flees
Israel’s former Defence
Minister Amir Peretz
earlier this year fled from
the UK for fear of an ar-
rest warrant being issued
againsthim,forwarcrimes
during the Lebanon War.
Peretz was on a trip to
New York and was advised
not to travel to the UK.
However, he continued
to the UK but kept a low
profile. He was pushed to
leave a day early in order
to avoid the embarrass-
ment of a warrant being
issued against him. The
arrest warrant was issued
the day after he left.
It was reported that
Peretz was warned of
the warrant, giving him
enough time to escape
before its issue. News of
his disappearance came
shortly after the non-ap-
pearance of Israeli General
Danny Rothschild in Par-
liament.
It appears that Amir
Peretz and Danny Roth-
schild both fled Britain
to avoid arrest warrants.
This is in stark contrast to
the case of Shaykh Raed
Salah, who was arrested
without any notice and
held in prison. The double
standards in the treatment
of Israeli and Palestinian
politicians are exemplified
by the British government
bucking to Israeli pressure
to change law on univer-
sal jurisdiction. If the law
is amended, it will make
it more difficult to bring
those suspected of war
crimes to justice.
Freedom Flotilla II prevented
One year after the first
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza,
activists from countries
around the world joined
hands once again to sail to
Gaza in an effort to break
the siege imposed on the
tiny strip of land.
Israel responded with
acts of intimidation, sabo-
tage, threats of violence,
political pressure, smears
against those taking part
and pressure upon national
governments to prevent the
boats from their journey.
The Irish Saoirse report-
ed propeller damage whilst
the boat was in a Mediter-
ranean port. Activists called
it a direct act of sabotage.
As of 12th July, the US boat
called ‘The Audacity of
Hope’ had been imprisoned
at the US Embassy/Greek
Coast Guard dock just out-
side Athens after being in-
tercepted on the 1st July.
A number of other boats
were, at the time of writing,
also being held in Greece,
including a Canadian boat
called ‘Tahrir’, which had
on board a large group
from Australia. Greece has
since been overwhelmed
with criticism for buckling
under the weight of Israeli
pressure to hold ships in
its ports, and prevent them
from their journey to Gaza.
continued from front page
Shaykh Raed Salah was
released on bail pending a
Judicial Review on his de-
portation. He will be staying
with supporters in London
until the matter is resolved.
Ismail Patel, Chair of
Friends of Al-Aqsa, one of
the organisations which
hosted Shaykh Raed, was
deeply concerned about the
Home Office’s actions. He
stated: “The most worrying
issue here is that our Home
Office is willing to accept
hear-say evidence as the
basis for excluding some-
one from Britain. Where is
the real evidence against
Shaykh Raed? He has never
been convicted of anti-
Semitism in Israel, although
many would seek to charge
him with it simply because
he champions the Palestin-
ian cause for freedom from
occupation. He is a hero in
Palestine on so many fronts,
and it is shameful how our
government has treated
him.”
In the same week that
Shaykh Raed was arrested,
former Israeli Major Gen-
eral Rothschild who stands
accused of war crimes, was
allowed to speak in Britain.
The difference in treatment
between the two men was
palpable and many have
accused the British gov-
ernment of overt double
standards.
6. SPECIAL FEATURE
06 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
Shaykh Raed Salah
By Firdous Patel
Shaykh Raed Salah was
born in the town of Umm
al Fahm in 1958 and was
a well known poet before
becoming involved with the
Islamic Movement. In 1989,
the party decided to partici-
pate in municipal elections
for the first time. Shaykh
Raed was elected mayor
of Umm al-Fahm that year,
and was re-elected to the
position twice more in 1993
and 1997 before deciding to
step down in 2001 to spend
more time in defence of the
Palestinian cause. His focal
pointsforcampaigningwere
Jerusalem, threats against
Palestinian residents and
Muslim and Christians holy
sites.
Shaykh Raed is now the
Head of the Islamic Move-
ment which exists within
Israel and consists of Pales-
tinian Arab-Israelis whose
families lived in the area
since before the state of Is-
rael was formed.
The Islamic Movement
is the most popular Pales-
tinian political force within
Israel. It operates at three
levels: religious, social and
national and does not con-
test elections.
Shaykh Raed has trav-
elled widely throughout
historic Palestine, playing a
major role in preserving the
Islamic and Christian herit-
age in Jerusalem, which is
slowly being eradicated by
Israeli policies in the city.
ShaykhRaedhasalsospoken
internationally about the
Palestinian cause, including
in European countries.
As a result of his peace-
ful efforts, he has become
known as the Gandhi of
Palestine.
It is no secret within Israel that the political
leadership consider Shaykh Raed to be a threat to
their vision of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In
2002, the Israeli Interior Ministry issued an order
barring Shaykh Raed from travelling abroad. The
Israeli Supreme Court of Justice ignored his appeal
and upheld the order. This was a clear move by
Israel to prevent the Palestinian voice from being
heard on the world stage. He continued to persevere
despite the constraints.
In 2003, Shaykh Raed was imprisoned for two years
on charges that he had helped fund Hamas-related
activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
This period of imprisonment is cited by pro-Israelis
as reflecting his support for terrorist organisations,
despite the fact thathe denied funding any military
activities.
Shaykh Raed was among
the first to launch mass cam-
paigns against Israeli poli-
cies within Jerusalem, relat-
ing to Islamic and Christian
religious sites; most notably
against the destruction of
tombsandencroachmenton
the historic Ma`man Allah
cemetery. He was arrested
in 2007 and prohibited from
coming within 150 metres
of Jerusalem’s Old City af-
ter he and four other men
allegedly scuffled with an
Israeli police officer. Shaykh
Raed had been protesting
against threats to the sacred
al-Aqsa mosque. Some have
argued that Shaykh Raed’s
prohibition was due to the
fact that he exposed a series
of Israeli plans for the im-
plementation of wide-rang-
ing architectural projects
around Al-Aqsa Mosque and
the construction of complex
tunnels under Islamic and
Christian holy sites and the
historic city walls.
Shaykh Raed was arrest-
ed again in 2007 on charges
of ‘incitement’ after he led a
group of peaceful protest-
ers through the Wadi al-Joz
neighbourhood in East Je-
rusalem in protest. The Je-
rusalem Magistrate’s Court
acquitted Shaykh Raed of
all charges related to that
incident thwarting Israeli
political efforts to impede
peaceful protests by Pales-
tinians.
Further attempts have
been made to outlaw the
Islamic Movement for in-
citement but these have al-
ways failed in Israel’s High
Court, as they are inevitably
exposed for being nothing
more than an attempt to re-
strict the Palestinian voice
and struggle for freedom.
Jewish supporters of Shaykh Raed turn out to protest his arrest and deportation in London
The recent arrest and
detention of prominent
Arab-Israeli political leader
Shaykh Raed Salah has
angered millions of people
around the world. Many are
concerned about his fate,
while a few applaud his
arrest. But who is
Shaykh Raed Salah?
Early Life
The Islamic Movement in
Palestine
Israeli Restrictions Defending Jerusalem and
Masjid al-Aqsa
7. SPECIAL FEATURE
ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 07
Shaykh Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Israel, escorted by Israeli police to a court in Jerusalem
Shaykh Raed has been physically
attacked by Israeli troops on
numerous occasions. His survival has
been nothing less than miraculous,
and Palestinians within Israel and
the Occupied Territories have been
enormously inspired by his courage
and sacrifice.
He was attacked by Israeli soldiers in
1997 when he tried to protect
children at the Umm Al-Fahm
Secondary School which was occupied
for 3 days by soldiers. 600 children
were injured during the Israeli
occupation of the school and Shaykh
Raed was beaten so badly that he
needed hospital care.
In 2000, during a demonstration against the occupation, Israeli troops
approached Shaykh Raed and shot him in the head in what was considered by
observers to be an assassination attempt. Despite the life threatening injury, he
survived.
In May 2010, Shaykh Raed participated in the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza during
which nine peace activists were killed by Israeli soldiers. He was wounded
during the assault, and there were reports that he had been assassinated.
During a hearing shortly before his release at the Ashkelon Magistrates’ Court,
Shaykh Raed stated, “The [Israeli] soldiers tried to kill me. They shot in the
direction of someone they thought was me.” One of those killed on board the aid
ship did in fact bear a striking resemblance to him – 61 year old Ibrahim Bilgen.
He was sentenced to five days of house arrest, and was forbidden from leaving
Israel for 45 days after the flotilla.
Shaykh Raed Salah in Britain,
June-July 2011
Physical Assaults and Gun Shot Wounds
Shaykh Raed received
an invitation to participate
in a speaking tour in Brit-
ain during June 2011. He
accepted the invitation and
numerous organisations
publicised his impending
visit.HearrivedatHeathrow
Airport in London on June
25th and passed through
border control without any
issue. As he holds an Israeli
passport, he did not require
a visa beforehand.
He began his speaking
tour in London and also
visited Leicester. One of
the meetings he spoke at
was held in the House of
Commons. On the night of
Tuesday 28th June, he was
arrested at his hotel in Lon-
don at approximately 11pm
on the grounds that an Ex-
clusion Order had been is-
sued against him by the
British Home Office. Shay-
kh Raed was never made
aware of any such order and
nor were any of the organi-
sations which had invited
him.
The Home Office de-
clared that an investigation
would take place into how
Shaykh Raed had managed
to enter the country, de-
spite the Exclusion Order.
Some elements of the media
vilified Shaykh Raed and at-
tributed statements to him
which he had never made.
Some insinuated that he had
illegally entered Britain.
Those advocating free-
dom in Palestine have been
clear about the apparent
hypocrisy seen emanating
from the British govern-
ment. As Dr. Hanan Chehata
reported in the New States-
man, “The double standards
operating here are chilling.
While the government is
doing it’s utmost to change
the British laws on Univer-
sal Jurisdiction to make it
easier for suspected Israeli
war criminals to visit the
UK without the fear of ar-
rest warrants being issued
against them, at the same
time they are happy to ar-
rest Palestinian leaders who
have committed no [actual]
crime…”
Shaykh Raed has spoken
in Germany, France and Ire-
land in the past, without in-
cident. He has also been in
the UK on at least four pre-
vious occasions. The most
poignant issue to note is
that Shaykh Raed Salah has
never been charged with in-
citement or anti-Semitism
in Israel itself. Despite the
fact that accusations of anti-
Semitism against him in the
British press were based
on fabricated sources, the
Home Office still issued an
Exclusion Order.
The real question about the episode is this:
If Shaykh Raed Salah is free to speak openly in Israel,
on what grounds can the British government restrict
his free speech here?
8. UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF AL AQSA
08 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
The Arab Spring signi-
fied a huge change in the
dynamics of the Middle
East. One of the immedi-
ate victories seemed to
be the re-opening of the
Rafah crossing between
Gaza and Egypt. However,
the number of Palestinians
allowed to pass across the
border is still woefully
inadequate, sometimes
only a dozen a day. The
procedure is still long and
tiresome.
I witnessed this myself
in June when I managed
to visit Gaza through the
Rafah crossing. It was a
personal desire fulfilled
for me – my first visit in 13
years. Israel will not allow
me to pass across any bor-
der into Palestine which
they control, so visiting
the West Bank again is still
a dream.
The welcome we
received in Gaza was tre-
mendous in its warmth
and affection. Many people
speak about the spirit of
the Palestinians, and this is
something hard to put into
words. Despite the years
of conflict and suffering,
the people of Gaza exhibit
courage and strength that
is indescribable. Despite
the abject poverty faced by
so many, they still struggle
on with determination.
For everyone who has
supported the work of
Friends of Al-Aqsa, the
people in Gaza send their
deepest gratitude. While
we pray for them, they also
pray for us - a reflection of
theirgenerosity.Myvisitto
the tiny besieged enclave
renewed my determina-
tion to continue with this
noble cause. I hope and
pray that you will continue
to support it too.
Ismail Patel
Your Lord is He who makes ships go
smoothly through the sea, so that
you may go about in quest of His
bounty. He is indeed Most
Merciful to you.
>> Volunteer of the month <<
Friends of Al-Aqsa only achieves success
through the grace of God and the hard work of our
volunteers. There are many volunteers who’s courage
and dedication knows no bounds. We have introduced a
volunteer of the month award to recognize these valued
contributions.
Sahema Bapu, Preston
Sahema approached FOA with an innovative idea. She
wanted to produce a recipe book which would be sold to
raise money for FOA and our campaigns. Thus, ‘Baking Aid
for Palestine’ was born!
Sahema got the entire project off the ground herself, and
secured the voluntary contribution of typesetters, proof-
readers, and printers amongst others. The end product was
a hugely popular recipe book
which sold out within months.
More have now been printed to
meet demand. Sahema helped
raise thousands of pounds for
FOA from this initiative and truly
deserves the ‘Volunteer of the
month’ title.
Baking Aid for Palestine can be
purchased online from the FOA
shop at www.foa.org.uk
FOA Glasgow are going
strong and have organised
a series of events over the
past three months.
Ummah in crisis...The way
forward
On 7th May 2011,
Shaykh Zahir Mahmood
from the UK and Shaykh
Ebrahim Bham from South
Africa addressed a crowded
hall at the Madrassa Taleem
ul Islam in Glasgow’s Pol-
lokshields. Shakyh Zahir
focused on the phenomenal
characters from Islamic his-
tory, Salah ad’Din Ayubi (r.a)
and Nur ad’Din Zhengi, and
reminded everyone of their
level of piety. Salah ad’Din
for example, never missed a
congregational prayer.
Shaykh Ebrahim Bham
spoke about the importance
of dua and remembering
those less fortunate than
ourselves in our prayers.
FOA Glasgow extends a spe-
cial thanks to the volunteers
and the Madrassa for host-
ing such a successful and
well attended event.
► Branches Update
GLASGOW
BRADFORD
The FOA team in Brad-
ford launched a real grass
roots campaign once again
this year. Following on from
the success of the Check the
Label campaign in 2010,
they started a leaflet drop
to raise awareness about
buying cheap dates from Is-
rael during Ramadan, which
originate from illegal settle-
ments on stolen Palestinian
land.
The leaflet drop will tar-
get 10,000 homes in Brad-
ford to raise awareness.
There are many alterna-
tives to buying Israeli dates,
including those genuinely
sourced from Palestinian
farmers in the West Bank.
In 2010, the campaign with
consumers led to shops
changing the types of dates
that they stocked and as a
result, the wholesalers were
also made aware.
FOA Walsall intro-
duces Aqsa United FC!
FOA Walsall set up its
very own football team
to promote BDS (Boycott,
Divestment and Sanc-
tions) through football.
One of the main ideas is
to highlight the policies
of the occupation through
sport, especially in light of
the number of restrictions
Palestinian sportsmen and
women face.
The team consists of
28 players from multi
faith, multi cultural back-
grounds who share a love
for football and for peace
in Palestine. They have set
an exceptional standard
of behaviour and sports-
manship on the field, to
promote the cause.
Thus far, Aqsa United
have won one tournament
and have been runners up
in another. They also won 3
games out of 4 in a 7 a-side
league tournament. These
victories pay tribute to
the players’ determination
and commitment to a rig-
orous training programme
developed by semi pro
footballer Richard Clarke,
Alex Clarke and fitness
guru Hamilton Nandu,
every Sunday afternoon!
Aqsa United thanks its
supporters & sponsors for
helping this project move
forward.
For further details, visit
www.afc.org.uk or call Jav-
id Yonus on 07876 742 251.
You can also follow Aqsa
United FC on facebook.
WALSALL
LONDON
FOA London have been
busy on numerous cam-
paigns over the past three
months, such as the Check
the Label – Boycott Is-
raeli Dates campaign 2011
launched in central London.
The boycott Israeli dates
campaign has been hugely
successful across the coun-
try in previous years, and
this year, more shops, busi-
nesses and mosques are be-
ing targeted to raise aware-
ness than ever before.
Thousands of leaflets
havegoneoutinthepostand
by hand and the response
has been tremendous. Is-
raeli export companies are
feeling the pinch too, with a
reported drop in sales.
To join FOA London and sup-
port this campaign – contact
Arif on london@aqsa.org.uk.
Volunteers needed urgently
to help distribute leaflets.
In May, the ladies from
FOA Glasgow held their first
fundraising bazaar. A va-
riety of stalls and activities
both indoors and outdoors,
attracted crowds of peo-
ple. Local businesses and
members of the community
pooled together to donate
food and other items for the
bazaar.
The event was a lot of
fun, and also an opportunity
to focus on the more serious
issue of Palestine and the
occupation. A massive profit
of £1,340 was raised.
FOA Glasgow extends
its thanks to everyone who
contributed to the event
and attended, and prays for
its continued success.
Meena Bazar
Real fun to raise funds!
9. UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF AL AQSA
ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 09
Check the Label - Boycott Israeli Dates
Join today!
For just £10 a year, support the Free Palestine
campaign. Send an email to info@aqsa.org.uk and we
will send you a direct debit form to set up your
membership.
Donate
You can make one-off donations:
1. Online - through Paypal to payments@aqsa.org.uk
(via our web-site)
2. By cheque, made payable to ‘Friends of Al-Aqsa’, to
PO BOX 5127, Leicester, LE2 0DT
3. By direct bank transfer: Friends of Al-Aqsa,
Sort Code 08-92-99, Account No. 65158078,
The Cooperative Bank, Southway, WN8 6VT
Sponsored Walk 2011
On Sunday 29th May,
FOA held its most success-
ful sponsored walk to date.
Approximately 300 people
attended the day out in the
Peak District, raising over
£35,000 in the process.
The lead organiser for
the event, Zubeda Gangat
commented: “The most
remarkable thing about
this year’s walk was the
spectrum of people who
have joined us! We had a
number of families with
toddlers who climbed up
and down the hills. We also
had a mini-bus full of eld-
erly women who had driven
for over 2 hours to get here!
It is incredible how strongly
people feel about the issue
of Palestine and how much
they are willing to do, to
help raise awareness about
the situation.”
Book Review
The Prophets in Palestine is a series of books aimed at pro-
viding children with a better understanding of the impor-
tance of Jerusalem and Masjid Al Aqsa in Islam. The series
focuses on several of the Prophets who lived in Palestine
and felt a deep connection to the blessed land.
The stories are a great reminder of Islamic heritage in Pal-
estine, and address the topic in a fun and engaging manner.
The series of books have been produced by Friends of
Al-Aqsa, and include:
Prophet Ibrahim (as)
Prophet Musa (as)
Prophet Dawud and Prophet Sulayman (as)
Prophet Yusuf (as)
Prophet Isa (as)
Prophet Muhammad (saw)
Suitable for children from the age of 5+.
£4.99. Purchase online at www.foa.org.uk
The Prophets in Palestine series
FOAONLINESHOP
VISITTHE
www.foa.org.uk CLICK‘SHOP’
£10£10
This Eid give someone a gift they will remember
Eid Gift Ideas
Every year, Israel produces huge amounts of Medjoul
dates. By buying these dates, individuals are supporting
the oppression of Palestinians without realising…
Israel is feeling the effects of the boycott and now uses
confusing packaging to disguise its dates. As a result, some
people are mistaking Israeli dates for Palestinian ones.
Don’t fall into this trap – check the label for ‘Country of
Origin’ or ‘Produce of…’ to make sure that you don’t buy
dates from Israel, West Bank or Jordan Valley.
Also avoid the following Israeli date brands, even if the
boxes have Arabic writing on them:
Check the label. Boycott Israeli dates.
For more information, please visit:
www.checkthelabel.org.uk
10. 10 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
Human Appeal International has
been working in Palestine since 1996.
We base our Palestinian operations from
Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem.
This allows us to provide aid from UK
donations directly to the needy of
Palestine.
The situation means that life in Palestine
is heavily dependant on international
aid. It is estimated that over half the
population depend on humanitarian
aid. Our Palestinian operations work
day and night to provide for the most
needy in this desperate situation. Long
term support is the only way to help
the people of Palestine today and to
make sure they are in a position to help
themselves tomorrow.
The Noor-Al-Ain school in Jerusalem
is a school for the blind and much
more. Aside from providing a place
of education and development for
those with poor or no vision. Noor-Al-
Ain provides advice and expertise to
universities and employers to make
their institutions fully accessible to those
who are blind or suffer from low quality
vision. The school also campaigns and
works to remove the stigma attached in
society that blind people cannot live full
and varied lives.
Human Appeal International aims
to raise £98,000 to help to renovate
Noor-Al-Ain’s facilities and to allow
the school to continue to work with
those less fortunate than us. Your
donations will help to modernise
the school, to increase the number
of children who are able to study at
Noor-Al-Ain and to allow the school
to continue to fight for the rights of
the blind in the wider society. Help
us help Noor-Al-Ain today!
Established 1991
Charity Reg 1005733
School for Blind children
in Al-Quds (Jerusalam)
Sponsor a classroom (15 kids) £5,000
Sponsor a Braille Machine £1,000
Sponsor a teacher £500
Sponsor a student £100
To donate call or go online
0161 225 0225
humanappeal.org.uk
11. TRAVEL TO PALESTINE
ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 11
Book Review | The Night Journey | Al-Isra’ wa Al-Mi’raj
By Ismail Adam Patel, Al-Aqsa Publishers 2011,
ISBN 0-9536530-6-4, pp 108, RRP £7.95
The Night Journey was
an incredible event that oc-
curred during the lifetime
of the Prophet Muhammed
(peace be upon him), in
which he travelled from
Makkah to Jerusalem,
and thereafter ascended
through the seven heavens
to Almighty Allah (swt).
It was one of the most re-
markable events in the his-
tory of humanity and at the
same time, an event that has
caused many critics to chal-
lenge Islam.
This book takes the
reader through this extraor-
dinary journey, beginning
with the life of Prophet
(peace be upon him) in
Makkah, and travelling
through the events in a de-
tailed chronological order.
The book is a great
read for those seeking to
understand more about
this momentous event in
the lifetime of the Prophet
(peace be upon him), and
details the link between him
and numerous other proph-
ets who prayed together in
Masjid al Aqsa. The herit-
age of Islam in the blessed
land of Palestine is often
forgotten and overlooked;
however, this book is key in
ensuring that this heritage
is not forgotten.
The book can be pur-
chased via the FOA online
shop at www.foa.org.uk
Our new ‘Travel to Palestine’ column is for those
dreaming of travelling to the Holy Land to provide
inspiration to make that dream a reality. Our first
traveller is Azra Jamal, a university student in
Leicester who decided to visit Beit Kahel in Hebron
in June/July 2011.
When did you decide that you wanted to visit
Palestine?
It was around exam time when a friend and I would go to
the library to revise, and end up looking for ways that we
could get to Palestine! A few days later, we found out about
an activist in Coventry who was arranging a trip and was
happy to take others along. We spoke to her and on the
same day booked our flights to Jordan!
How did you feel before leaving?
We were very excited about getting there, that after
booking our flights, we felt like the days were dragging!
What was your experience like travelling
to Palestine?
We travelled through Jordan and were kept at the
border for five hours. The border officials try to do
everything they can to put you off and get you to go back
home. They would check our passports, and ask us a few
questions now and then, but it was mainly just hanging
around. It was a long wait but we used the time to pray
and speak to other people who were there. We saw quite
a few Palestinians go through before us, and that was
something so great to see, because we had already heard
so much about the difficulties they face getting in and out
of Palestine. My friend pointed out a Palestinian boy who
was wearing a t-shirt that had the words “Never give up”
written across it. It was such an inspiration to see, because
it made me think that this is his struggle everyday – but for
me, it’s just one day.
What advice would you give to anyone who is
feeling a little nervous about facing Israeli
soldiers at the borders/checkpoints?
I would say not to let that put you off going to the Holy
Land. If your intention is to get there, Allah (swt) will
make it happen and He’ll make the road clear for you.
Even if you have to wait around, or face some difficulty,
the struggle is worth it. Really our struggle is nothing
compared to theirs! We stood with a man in Hebron and
where we were standing, could see the golden dome of the
Dome of the Rock. He said to us, “We live here and we can’t
go to the mosque, but you’re so lucky that you can.” It’s
really so easy for us as British passport holders to go over
to Palestine, but we’re afraid to take that step because
we’re worried about giving up our comforts.
Is there anyone you met
whilst over there, that
stood out in particular?
When we were travelling to
Masjid al Aqsa, we met a lady
on the bus called Sara. She was
80 years old and because of
knee problems, her children
were pleading with her not
to make the tiring journey to
Masjid al Aqsa, but she went
anyway. When she saw us, she immediately gave us the
most amazing smile and began to cry. We spoke to her and
she told us that she was just so happy that young Muslims
care and are travelling to visit Palestine.
Why do you think it’s important to visit, and
what advice would you give to anyone thinking
about making the trip?
We have a lot of heritage in Palestine. Being in Hebron was
so enlightening, because it meant that I got to visit and
learn about the Ibrahimi Mosque.
One jumu’ah, when we visited Masjid Al Aqsa, there was
something going on and Israeli soldiers were everywhere.
Restrictions were in place so young men between 18 and
25 were not allowed in and had to pray jumu’ah outside
the sanctuary, with armed Israeli guards standing over
them with guns. This area is blessed and so important to
us, and we need to get more Muslims going out there.
Any last words?
So much to say, I could go on! It was such an amazing
experience and I would recommend that everyone make
the trip. And if as a parent, you’re feeling a little unsure
about your child going, make it a family trip! It really is a
spiritual journey as much as it is a journey that shapes you
as a person.
If you have recently returned from Palestine and
would like to share your story, please contact us at
info@aqsa.org.uk.
Travelling to Palestine can be a real adventure...
Name: Azra Jamal
Occupation: University Student
My trip in a few words: An
unforgettable journey to the land
of the Prophets
Support Friends of Al-Aqsa
this Ramadhan!
Join us on our Radio
Ramadhan Pledge Day:
21st August 2011
12 noon - 8 pm
Radio Frequency 87.7 FM
Or listen live at www.fmo.org.uk
12. FUN AND GAMES
12 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
Sara and Ahmed’s dad was very upset so
he said, “This is not fair – we are not
going to move.” But they had no choice.
Soon, it was them working for the Israeli
settler family on the land which used to be
their own, for very little wages.
This Ramadan, we all need to make sure
that this doesn’t happen to other families.
Make sure you don’t buy dates that are
grown in the West Bank, Jordan Valley or
Golan Heights, because these are the places
where land is being stolen from families,
just like Sara and Ahmed’s. Make sure
your dates say 'Produce of Palestine' andyour dates say 'Produce of Palestine' and
you will be supporting Palestinian farmers.
Israeli Settlers Taking Over Date Farms.
Sara and Ahmed are brother and sister.
Their parents own a date farm in the
West Bank.
Just last year, an Israeli settler family moved close by and when they arrived, soldiers
came with them, telling Sara, Ahmed and their whole family to move off the land.
By Ghazala Caratella
COMPETITION
WIN!£20ARGOSVOUCHER!
Sendyouranswerswithyourname,ageandaddressto:FriendsofAlAqsa,P.OBox
5127,Leicester,LE20WU.Youcanalsoemailusyouranswersto:info@aqsa.org.uk,
pleaseput‘Competition’asthesubjectheading.Deadline:31st
August‘11.GoodLuck!
WORDSEARCH
12 years old or under?
BOYCOTT
ISRAEL
APARTHEID
SOLIDARITY
SUFFERRING
OLIVE
DATES
GAZA
FREEDOM
PALESTINE
JUSTICE
Have a go at this awesome word search! Colour in the boxes to find the
words listed below. See if you can guess the picture before you finish
the search. Have fun!
This story can be found in the Quran in Surah 27, verses 17-19.
Have you
discovered the
picture yet?
It is:
_____________
“…Sulayman (A.S) was a Prophet who was born and raised in
Jerusalem in Palestine. He was the son of the Prophet Da’wud
(A.S) and just like his father, Sulayman A.S was a great
Prophet loved by Allah (swt).
Sulayman (A.S) was once marching through a valley with
his magnificent army of Jinn, men and birds, who were all in
their battle order. The army came to the valley which hap-
pened to be the home of ants.
Seeing this great army, one ant said to all the other ants‘hide
in your homes, before Sulayman A.S and his army crush you
under their feet!’
Sulayman (A.S) smiled to himself because Allah (swt) had
given him the ability to understand the speech of all
animals and so he heard what the ant said. On hearing this
the Prophet thanked Allah (swt) for all the special gifts he
had been given.
13. FUN AND GAMES
ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 13
COMPETITION(Open to everyone aged 18 or under)
Do you have a creative flare? Are your rhymes
unstoppable? Is poetry your kind of thing? Well why
not put them to use and enter this competition?
Unleash your talents and send in your poems!
Only one thing to bear in mind….Make sure your
poem is based on children in Palestine. You can make
it any style of poetry.
Send in your entry with your name, address, contact
number and age!
And if your poem is judged to be the best one, it will
feature in the next issue of the Al-Aqsa news! AND
you will win a £20 Argos Voucher!!!
GET CREATIVE!
A few words can mean a billion things…
BOYCOTT | THE WHATS & WHYS!
Lately, we hear the word‘boycott’a lot more, thanks to the growing
awareness of the situation faced by Palestinians under occupation.
One way for individuals like you and I to help bring an end to the
illegal occupation of Palestine, is by consumer boycott.
First things first….
“To withdraw from commercial or social interaction with (a group,
nation, person, etc.) as a protest or punishment; to refuse to handle or
buy (goods), or refuse to participate in (an event, meeting, etc.), as a
protest.”
So in the case of boycotting Israel, it is the act of refusing to interact with Israel. Makes
sense? So we steer clear of purchasing produce from Israel, illegal West Bank and
Jordan Valley Settlements.
Moving on to… WHY BOYCOTT?
WHAT IS BOYCOTT?
If consumers refuse to purchase produce from a place, like from Israel, then the
economy of Israel will be under pressure. If the pressure faced by the Israeli economy
is great enough, it will bring an end to their occupation of Palestinian land. Boycott of
Israel also helps to promote the recognition of the basic and fundamental rights of the
Palestinians and Palestinian refugees, which are being abused.
Boycott is an ideal way to protest as it is a peaceful way to support justice for
Palestinians. With boycott, everyone can do something!
Produce from the West Bank and Jordan Valley come from illegal Israeli Settlements
built on land stolen from Palestinians. by buying produce from there, you will be
supporting the illegal settlements financially.
SO....let’s talk details, BOYCOTT WHAT?
Pay attention whilst shopping! At the supermarket, ensure you check the label of the
produce you buy! It’s as simple as that!
Produce to look out for:
Friends of Al-Aqsa promotes the‘CHECK THE LABEL’campaign. This campaign focuses
on the purchasing of dates. With Ramadhan around the corner, it is an important
campaign.
If you do not want to break your fast with an Israeli date, then join the campaign and…
Check the label! Do not buy the dates with labels stating they are from Israel, the West
Bank or Jordan Valley.
One company to look out for is :
ALTERNATIVES: Medjoul dates are extremely popular. Perhaps the taste would be
more appetising if it was from an alternative such as Zaytoun and YAFFA. Friends
of Al-Aqsa help distribute Medjoul dates which help Palestinian farmers.
RIDDLES
1. What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?
____________________________________________________________
2. What is it that you will break even when you name it?
____________________________________________________________
3. What holds water yet is full of holes?
____________________________________________________________
4. The more there is, the less you see. What am I?
____________________________________________________________
5. Light as a feather, there is nothing in it; the strongest man can’t hold it
for much more than a minute?
____________________________________________________________
6. What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head
but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?
____________________________________________________________
7. You can’t keep this until you have given it?
____________________________________________________________
Answers:
1.Yourname2.Silence3.Asponge4.Thedarkness5.Breath6.Ariver7.Apromise
14. RECIPES
14 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
Maqlubah Dajaj | try this delicious Palestinian recipe
Method:
1. Wash the rice three times and drain. Then soak the rice
in cold water for 10 minutes and drain again.
To make the Chicken Stock:
2. Sauté the two medium cubed onions in a deep stock pot
until golden.
3. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, bay leaves, cardamom and
chicken and sauté until chicken skin becomes golden.
4. Boil the water separately and add to the mix. Bring to
the boil and lower to a medium heat, regularly removing
the froth from the top of the stock if it appears.
5. Add the Arabic spice, black pepper and salt. Allow it
cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes or until chicken is
cooked, but not overdone. Once cooked, remove the
chicken and leave the stock in the pot.
6. Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric and ½ teaspoon cinnamon
to the chicken stock, and enough salt so it is slightly salty.
Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. The stock is
now ready.
7.While the chicken mixture simmers, heat the oil in a
large, deep skillet over a medium heat. Fry the eggplant
slices in the hot oil, ensuring the pieces do not touch, until
golden brown on both sides; remove to a plate lined with
kitchen towel to drain. Do the same with the cauliflower,
potatoes, tomatoes and onions.
8. Bring out a deep, medium-sized non-stick cooking pot.
Sprinkle a thin layer of the uncooked rice in the bottom of
the pot, to prevent the vegetables from sticking Then add
layers of ingredients as follows:
Half the potatoes
Half the eggplant
Half the cauliflower
Half the tomatoes
Half the fried onions
Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon
All the cooked chicken
Repeat the layers with the rest of the vegetables, ending
with a pinch of cinnamon.
9. Mix the remaining rice with ½ teaspoon of turmeric and
½ a teaspoon of cinnamon.
10. Pour the rice over the layered chicken and vegetables,
shaking the pot gently to allow the rice to settle into the
dish.
11. Next, place a medium-sized plate upside down on top
of the layered mixture. The plate should be smaller than
the pot, leaving a 1-2 inch ring of rice exposed around the
edges.
12. Add 5 cups of chicken stock to the pot by pouring it
over the plate. If you run out of stock, make up the
remainder of the fluid using water. The stock will seep
through the edges of the plate and cook the rice without
moving the vegetables. Cover the pot, leaving the plate in
place, and bring to a gentle boil.
13. Once boiling, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and
leave for approximately 30-45 minutes, until the rice is
soft and the liquid is absorbed.
14. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to stand for
approximately 20 minutes.
15. Remove the lid from the pot and the plate from the
layered ingredients. Place a large platter over the pot and
flip the pot so the dish is upside down on the platter. The
ingredients should stay intact as a mound once the pot is
removed.
16. Garnish with fried almonds and fried raisins. Serve
with yogurt or green salad on the side. Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Maha Al-Ghoul
Ingredients:
7 cups of water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp Arabic spice powder (substitute with Garam Masala if
you don’t have any – or see recipe for spice powder below)
3 cardamoms
3 bay leaves
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
2 cups of cooking oil, for frying the vegetables
2 medium chickens (skin-on), cut into 6 pieces each
2 large eggplant, cut into 1.5cm slices
1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
5 medium potatoes cut into 1.5cm slices
4 tomatoes cut into quarters.
7 medium onions, 2 cut into cubes, and 5 cut into slices
3 cups jasmine rice
To make Arabic spice powder:
2 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Serves 8
15. ONE WORLD - FREEDOM FOR PALESTINE
ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 15
One World ‘Freedom for Palestine’
The ‘Freedom for Palestine’ track has been
widely circulated online and received a lot of
support. What did you hope to achieve from
the song?
I want to encourage people who don’t know much
about what’s going on in Palestine and Israel, to dig a bit
deeper than the mainstream parlance. I want to encourage
people to explore for themselves, the truth about the
conflict, because it seems to me that quite often the
conflict is presented as being some sort of
irreconcilable dispute between two equal parties. But the
reality of course, is very different.
In reality, it is the story of one well
armed state, which is Israel, illegally
occupying an impoverished, displaced
and stateless people – the
Palestinians. By recording a song,
which is absolutely clear in its
message, I hope to encourage people
to look into the true facts about what’s
going on. And secondly, for people
who do already have a good idea of the
situation, I want to try to give them
confidence to speak up and to speak
out against the crimes which the Israeli
state is committing. I think a lot of
people have been afraid to speak out.
During the first week of July 2011, the
official launch of OneWorld’s Freedom for
Palestine song took place. Friends of Al Aqsa
met with Dave Randall who composed and
produced the track and asked him about the
new release. Here’s what he had to say…
Well we’ve certainly seen a change in public opinion. So following on
from that, what has the response been like, both from the general
public, and from your colleagues in the music business?
For the most part, the response has been fantastic! It’s been really very positive. I’ve
had messages of support from all sorts of well known people, but I think what I have been
most moved by, are the messages of support I’ve had from ordinary people all around the
world, including from Palestine. So the response has been fantastic –
people really appreciate the fact that we’ve tried to put the song together and there’s a
real sense that people respond to the fact that the song is upbeat and hopeful.
Most musicians who I’ve spoken to have been very supportive – quite a few didn’t
know much about what was going on. Of course they asked me why I’d been moved to
write a song about Palestine, and once you tell people what you’ve seen in the West Bank
and what you’ve seen in Gaza and explain to them a bit of the history, they very quickly
become supporters.
Did you have any difficulties in getting the song
out?
Yes – particularly with the mainstream media,
including the radio – they tend to be nervous about being
seen to be critical of the state of Israel and this has made
our task more difficult. We had virtually zero airplay on
mainstream BBC and commercial radio and airplay is
usually the thing that secures a chart position for a song.
So it’s been very hard for us. We had to rely on the internet
and on activists networks’ to get the message out about
the song. And therefore this interview with Friends of Al
Aqsa and other websites are all fundamentally important
for the song – because we haven’t had the mainstream
media support that every other pop music release has.
Could you briefly mention where the proceeds
from sales will be going and how it will help?
Any proceeds raised from sales of the single will go
to the UK peace charity War on Want and they will use
it to support a project in Palestine. A good proportion of
the money will be going to Stop the Wall – the campaign
against the building of the apartheid wall in the West
Bank.
Lastly, will there be more songs to follow?
I will certainly continue to write songs, but I think the
OneWorld concept is probably one off where we all pull
together for this particularly important cause. So this will
probably be the only OneWorld song.
Dave Randall, thank you so much for your time.
16. 16 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
Ramadhan Reminder
ASH-SHIFA
LOCAL AND ONLINE ISLAMIC STORE
263 ST SAVIOURS ROAD, LEICESTER
www.ashshifa.co.uk | 0116 2104146
NEW ARRIVALS
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ANYWHERE IN U.KGO ONLINE OR
VISIT THE STORE
Stockists of Islamic wear for all ages
A large selection of books, multimedia and kitaabs
We also have perfumes, children’s toys and gift ideas
for special occasions
The question is, how can we
effectively use Ramadhan to
better ourselves?
This year the beginning
of Ramadhan is in August,
which means that the days
will be very long. It is im-
portant to structure your
time so that you will be able
to make the most out of the
month.
For many people, Ra-
madhan comes and goes
every year, and while we
are careful with prayers and
worship during the month,
it soon passes us by and we
carry on with our normal
lives once it is over. Howev-
er, with a little bit of thought
and pre-planning, we can
ensure that we eventually
live every day as if we are in
Ramadhan.
Setting yourself goals
is a good place to start.
Perhaps write down five
things you want to achieve,
or change about yourself
during the month, and work
on them every day, not just
in Ramadhan, but from be-
fore the month begins. It is
said that it takes 21 days to
form a new habit, so if we
start before Ramadhan, we
can insha’Allah come out of
the month with a solid set of
good habits.
Treat Ramadhan as a
very dear friend that only
visits once a year. Spend
the weeks and days leading
up to its arrival preparing
yourself mentally, spiritu-
ally and physically. Once it
arrives, try to spend as
much time as you can in its
company (optional prayers,
remembrance of Allah, and
charitable acts). Remember
that even cooking a meal for
your family, if done with the
right intention, is an act of
worship, and the reward of
feeding a fasting person is
great!
When Ramadhan leaves
you with an abundance of
gifts, do not discard them.
Treasure them as you treas-
ure the gifts given to you
by dear friends. Utilise the
gifts every day, and look for-
ward to the new gifts that
you will receive next year,
insha’Allah.
Whilst self-development
is a major part of this
month, it is crucial to re-
member those who are less
fortunate. When you feel
the pangs of hunger, think
about those who go without
food for weeks. Make it your
goal to do what you can to
help them, whether it is in
the form of money or time.
Finally, remember the
Ummah in your duas. Ask
Allah to protect Masjid Al-
Aqsa from threats against
it, and to protect the people
whose human rights are be-
ing abused daily.
May Allah make this
a beneficial and produc-
tive Ramadhan for us all.
Ameen.
Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic (lunar) year and a time when Muslims around
the world fast during the day, participate in extra night prayers and reflect upon the year
that has passed.
Allah says in the Quran: “Oh you who believe, fasting
has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for
people before you so that you may become pious.”
[Al-Baqarah, 2:183]
In History...
Seven years ago, on 9th
July 2004, the International
Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled
that the wall Israel was
building in the West Bank,
conflictedwithinternational
law as it invades Palestinian
territory.
Therulingcameafterthe
United Nations General As-
sembly asked for an opinion
regarding the legality of the
Wall being built by Israel.
By a 14-1 majority, it
was voted that the Wall
was illegal. All Israeli justi-
fications for the Wall were
rejected. Despite the ruling,
Israel continued to build the
wall, repeatedly claiming
that it is merely a security
measure to protect Israel
from terrorist and suicide
attacks.
The Israeli government
did not participate in the
oral hearing at The Hague
in the Netherlands, claim-
ing it was because they did
not support the request
for an opinion from the ICJ.
They did however, submit a
detailed written statement
asserting that the court had
no right to discuss what
they called the “terrorism
prevention fence”.
Furthermore, they ac-
cused the court of jeopard-
ising peace negotiations
between Israel and Pales-
tine by hearing an “overtly
political issue”.
While the advisory opin-
ion is not binding, on 20th
July 2004, the UN General
Assembly endorsed a reso-
lution demanding that Israel
act in accordance with the
ICJ opinion. Six countries
voted against this: Israel,
USA, Australia, Micronesia,
The Marshall Islands and
Palau.
The Wall continued be-
ing built, and in 2006 it was
proven to be a tool for oc-
cupation when the then act-
ing Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert said that “The
course of the fence –which
until now has been a secu-
rity fence – will be in line
with the new course of the
permanent border”.
“The construction of the wall being built by Israel,
the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem,
and its associated régime, are contrary to
international law.”
17. INTERPAL EDITORIAL
ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 17
Editorial | Interpal
Ibrahim Hewitt
In the midst of political
change across the Middle
East, one issue remains con-
stant: the situation of Pales-
tinians across the region is
dire. With almost 5 million
refugees registered for sup-
port from the UN Relief and
Works Agency (UNRWA),
and international funds in
short supply for even basic
provision, let alone capital
expenditure, the people of
Palestine are in desperate
need.
Help is at hand, however.
Whether it is educational
support for refugees in
Lebanon; community health
support for those in Jordan;
orphan sponsorship in the
occupied West Bank; or vi-
tal medicines for the people
of Gaza, the needs of the
people are paramount, and
Interpal is there on your
behalf at the forefront of
humanitarian aid and com-
munity development.
As Britain’s main charity
dedicated solely to helping
needy Palestinians, Interpal
has long experience in the
field to ensure that vital
support gets to where it
is going to have the most
benefit. The political situ-
ation in the occupied West
Bank and Gaza Strip, with
Israel’s siege of the latter
and oppressive policies in
both enclaves, presents cer-
tain operational difficulties
for all charities and non-
governmental organisations
(NGOs) working in the Holy
Land. Nevertheless, innova-
tive approaches, policies
and procedures have put
Interpal in the driving seat
for helping Palestinian
Christians and Muslims to
overcome the hurdles and
hardships and maintain
their optimism about their
future. Need and need alone
is and always has been the
prime criteria for the dis-
tribution of our funds; the
political and religious affili-
ation of beneficiaries is ir-
relevant, something that we
are proud of achieving in a
deeply-divided community.
Humanitarian aid is, of
course, essential in a place
like Palestine and surround-
ing refugee camps, and we
sometimes struggle to keep
with the demands on our
resources. Nevertheless,
Interpal’s focus on health,
education, needy families
and orphan sponsorship
along with community de-
velopment continues with
projects as diverse as drama
workshops for teachers and
pupils in UNRWA schools
in Lebanon, the provision
of special medical needs
facilities in Jordan and fresh
water treatment plants in
Gaza. All projects are car-
ried out on the basis of a
thorough analysis of local
needs and existing provi-
sion in the relevant field
and area of operation. Inter-
pal, for example, was a key
player in the recent, very
successful, Miles for Smiles
3 Convoy to Gaza. Operat-
ing with support from the
Egyptian Foreign Ministry
to facilitate access for the
convoy across the border at
Rafah, essential medicines
purchased following consul-
tation with the Ministry of
Health in Gaza were taken
into Gaza in a fleet of am-
bulances. Such consultation
was important to ensure
that the medicines would
be of immediate value to
patients across the Gaza
Strip; around 200 items on
the Essential Medicines List
(a common feature of all
medical provision around
the world) are unavailable
in Gaza. Interpal and the
Convoy were able to make
sure that the aid given was
practical in every way and
able to be put to immediate
use.
Although help for Pal-
estinians is primarily a
humanitarian issue, the
Blessed land of Palestine
and, especially, Al-Aqsa
Mosque hold a special place
in the hearts and minds
of Muslims and Christians
alike, many of whom sup-
port Interpal’s work. The
month of Ramadan is a
perfect opportunity for do-
nors to give as much Zakah,
Sadaqah, Lillah and general
donations as possible to
maintain the sanctity of the
holy places and the dignity
of those defending them on
our behalf. Not only does
this special month increase
the reward for those who
give generously of their
wealth, it also brings a great
deal of blessings from the
Almighty on the distribu-
tion and use of donations.
A little really does go a long
way in Ramadan; a lot will
go even further!
Interpal’s staff, trustees
and supporters have made
a number of field trips to
see for themselves the value
of the work carried out by
the charity. In June, as part
of the Miles for Smiles 3
Convoy, first-time visitors
to Gaza were astonished to
see the diversity of the help
given by Interpal, thanks to
the generosity of our do-
nors. People who had never
seen a refugee camp before
helped to distribute food
parcels to needy families
(unemployment in Gaza is
approaching 50%, so mon-
ey to buy essential goods
is in very short supply),
and fresh water to refugees
(more than two-thirds of
Gaza’s 1.2 million popula-
tion are refugees in their
own country), thereby giv-
ing young and not so young
members of the Interpal
team first-hand experience
of the struggle at the sharp
end of humanitarian work.
It is always extremely grati-
fying, and very humbling, to
see donations turned into
action which makes a dif-
ference to people’s lives in
a big way: children who can
continue to attend school
with the proper equipment;
hospitals which can treat se-
riously ill patients; families
which have had their homes
destroyed given some-
where to live in dignity;
small projects which have
grown over many years to
become vital links in local
communities; all of these
and more are ways in which
Interpal’s donors have been
able to make a difference,
for which we must thank
you, on behalf of Interpal
and our beneficiaries. The
Palestinians are genuinely
appreciative of any and all
support that they are given;
their patience and stead-
fastness is legendary and
provides a sharp lesson for
us all immersed in our own
very consumerist communi-
ties.
Interpal’s Vice-Chair-
man, Dr Essam Mustafa
joined with other dignitar-
ies, including ex-British
government minister Sha-
hid Malik and Islam Chan-
nel CEO Muhammad Ali, in
delivering special milk pow-
der for children suffering
from lactulose intolerance
in the Gaza Strip. The provi-
sion of such vital medical
aid is one of Interpal’s prime
objectives and the charity’s
participation in the Miles
for Smiles 3 Convoy was a
good example of how we
cooperate with other NGOs
and charities from Europe,
the Middle East and South
Africa, to ensure that maxi-
mum benefit from humani-
tarian support is achieved.
18. BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS
18 AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
Donate By Phone
0800 4 0800 11
01274 390 396
Donate Online
www.uwt.org
Charity Reg. No. 1000851
Ten Million people in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia are suffering amidst
the worst drought seen in 60 years. Mothers and their children are
facing nothing but hunger, thirst and displacement.
Ummah Welfare Trust is on the ground providing water, food and
medical aid in Kenya and Somalia.
PLEASE DONATE NOW FOR THIS URGENT APPEAL
UWT Head Office: 351 Derby Street,
Bolton, BL3 6LR.Tel 01204 383 732
HORNOFAFRICA
EMERGENCYAPPEAL
£1 MILLION
APPEAL LAUNCHED
LUSH Cosmetics offers support
Following the release
of OneWorld’s Freedom
for Palestine song, interna-
tional cosmetics company
LUSH revealed that it was
supporting the song, saying
that the “catastrophe facing
the Palestinian people is one
of the defining global justice
issues of our time”.
Thesong,whichincludes
vocals from Faithless singer
Maxi Jazz reflects growing
public opinion surround-
ing Israel’s utter disregard
for human rights, and the
support shown by private
firms such as Lush indicates
a huge shift in the way that
Israel is viewed on the glo-
bal stage.
This new approach is
hugely positive and shares
much with the kind of cam-
paigning seen during the
South African apartheid,
namely the release of the
‘Free Nelson Mandela’ song.
The song features under
the “Ethical Campaigns” tab
on the Lush website along-
side other human rights,
animal rights and environ-
mental campaigns.
Israel to host UEFA under-21 tournament? We don’t think so
The Palestinian sports
community has called upon
UEFA to reverse its decision
to hold the 2013 under-21’s
tournament in Israel.
As the 2011 tournament
concludes in Denmark, foot-
ball clubs, players, manag-
ers and other sports figures
havewrittenalettertoUEFA
President Michael Platini,
urging him to reverse the
decision. The letter states
that selecting Israel as the
2013 host country would
be rewarding Israel for “its
violent repression of Pales-
tinian rights” and treating it
like any other country.
Many have been sur-
prised by the decision,
especially since Platini
criticised Israel publicly
last September. Haidar Eid,
coordinator of the Red Card
Israeli Apartheid campaign
said “…we are shocked that
UEFA is giving the honour of
hosting an important tour-
nament to a country that
practices illegal occupation
and apartheid. A new host
nation must be selected.”
The letter reminded
Platini that footballers Ay-
man Alkurd, Shadi Sbakhe
and Wajeh Moshate were
among the 1,400 killed in
the assault on Gaza in the
winter of 2008-2009, when
the Rafah National Stadium
as well as other buildings
were bombed.
Scottish council success
West Dunbartonshire
Regional Council in the west
of Scotland has extended
a boycott of Israeli goods
Bill to include the boycott
of English translations of
Israeli books and the distri-
bution of such books in all
libraries under the council’s
jurisdiction.
Dundee Council, one
of Scotland’s largest cities,
joined West Dunbartonshire
and issued a recommenda-
tion to boycott all goods
produced in Israel.
UCU boycott of Israel
The end of May saw a
huge BDS success. The larg-
est academic union in Brit-
ain,knownasUniversityand
College Union (UCU) passed
a resolution calling for an
academic and cultural boy-
cott of Israel, at the annual
conference in Yorkshire.
Delegates voted 10-1
and were ecstatic at the re-
sult. James Haywood, Pres-
ident-elect at Goldsmiths
Students’ Union, stated, “We
are delighted that this mo-
tion has passed, and with
such a clear vote as well.
We have seen throughout
history that boycotts are
a crucial nonviolent tactic
in achieving freedom, and
target institutions, not indi-
viduals.”
The UCU represents
120,000 academics across
the country.
19. ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011 | AQSA NEWS 19
In memory of Vittorio Arrigoni…
Vittorio was a member
of the International Solidar-
ity Movement (ISM) and
was well known in Gaza
for his humanitarianism,
dynamic personality and
pacifism. He had spent time
volunteering in Africa and
in Western Europe and after
visiting the Occupied Pales-
tinian Territories, felt that
he had to do all that was in
his power to help, support
and stand with Palestinians
living under occupation and
tell others about the injus-
tice they faced.
After spending some
time in the West Bank, Vit-
torio was deported. Despite
this, he flew to Ben Gurion
airport to highlight Israel’s
deportation of peace activ-
ists, and hoped to attend a
peace conference in Beth-
lehem. He was however, not
allowed through and spent
Christmas of 2005 being
held in detention.
Vittorio was in Gaza
during the Israeli assault in
the winter of 2008-2009,
known as Operation Cast
Lead, which resulted in the
deaths of over 1,400 Pales-
tinian men, women and chil-
dren. He acted as a human
shield whilst working with
thePalestinianRedCrescent
ambulances,andatthesame
time was reporting with the
Italian daily II Manifesto in
between bombing raids. As
a freelance journalist, he
reported back frequently,
despite patchy internet
access and extraordinary
circumstances, and his daily
dispatches ended with the
phrase “stay human”, an ex-
pression which became the
motto of anti-Israel peace
protests in Italy and the
title of his book detailing
the horror of the Israeli of-
fensive.
The death of Vittorio
was met with shock and
sadness by his supporters
around the world. He stood
for the rights of others and
in this process, lost his life.
Whenever asked by his
mother how it was possi-
ble to “stay human” in such
difficult circumstances, he
would reply: “Because, de-
spite everything, there must
always be humanity within
us. We have to bring it to
others.”
On the 15th April 2011, reports surfaced that
the Italian peace activist Vittorio Arrigoni
had been killed in Gaza. He was captured by
a radical group, and killed just a few hours
after his abduction.
Donate today
020 8453 7176
077 8016 7282
www.eap.org.uk
FEEDS IFTAR TO
FAMILIES WITH
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20
11
Warmest greetings to you and your
family from the Holy Land
of Palestine.
The sanctions on the Gaza Strip
and Jerusalem is crippling —forcing
the Palestinians to live below
the poverty line. Ramadan is fast
approaching, bringing with it a great
opportunity to put joy and happiness
back into the lives of countless poor
and needy. Over the past year, your
help has enabled us to distribute
thousands of meals and parcels to
families with children in education.
With your continued support,
this Ramadan we will continue to
alleviate some of their sufferings by:
Dear donor,
1. Providing iftar to families
with children in education
at a cost of £7 each
2. Parceling food for 10,000
families at a cost of £30 each
3. Securing 20,000 school
kit to poor children at a
cost of £10 each
Let’s make a significant change.
Let’s put back the smiles on the
young faces.
Our beloved Prophet (saw) said:
O
Supported by
”the best charity is
that which is given
in Ramadan”.Order Online
www.foa.org.uk, click 'Shop'
20. AQSA NEWS 20 | ISSUE 47 / RAMADHAN 2011
Making World Cup
history on
Palestinian soil
World cup history was
made in early July 2011
as the first ever qualifying
match was played by the
Palestinian national foot-
ball team on home soil. The
Palestinians drew 1-1 with
Afghanistan in the match,
which was played in the
Faisal Husseini Stadium in
Al-Ram with a large crowd
of 8,000 supporters.
Palestine, a member of
FIFA since 1998, has never
hosted a World Cup quali-
fier on home soil until this
match due to Israeli restric-
tions. Instead the Palestin-
ian team have been forced
to train and play ‘home’
games abroad in Jordan or
Kuwait.
The game started with
an early goal for the hosts
in the 11th minute by Wadi
Hossam. However, Balal Ar-
ezou equalised with a goal
for Afghanistan in the 63rd
minute ending in the match
in a draw.
The result was still good
enough for Palestine, who
have now proceeded to the
next round of the Asian
qualifiers and are set to play
Thailand in late July.
Victory as Bil’in wall
dismantled
According to local
sources, four years after a
Supreme Court Order, Israel
has finally began disman-
tling a section of the separa-
tion barrier near the village
of Bil’in. Villagers of Bil’in
have held weekly demon-
strations near the barrier
for 3 years and numerous
Palestinians have been
killed and injured during
the peaceful protest due to
the disproportionate use of
force by Israeli soldiers.
While the move is a
small victory activists are
still calling for the removal
of the entire structure. Bil’in
lost half of its land when the
barrier was built.
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