A Judicial Decision to demolish part of Ras Al-Amoud Mosque
The demolition threat has reached the women chapel in “Mohammad Al-Fateh” mosque in Ras Al-Amoud, Silwan under the pretext of building without apermit. Sheikh Sabri Abu Diab, the Imam and Khatib of Ras Al-Amoud Mosque, explained to Wadi Hilweh Information Center that the women’s chapel is around 70 square meters which was added to the mosque 4 years ago because Ras Al-Amoud needed such an area for the women to pray. The center found out that the Municipal Court issued a decision to demolish this chapel in the beginning of 2012 under the pretext of building without a permit after the settlers who live in the neighbourhood claimed that it disturbed the dead in the nearby graves. According to the information available to the center, the demolition decision is a “Judicial Decision” which enables the municipality staff to demolish the chapel at any time with no room to appeal the decision knowing that the demolition decision has been appealed several times but the Central decision shall be final. Sheikh Abu Diab added that Ras Al-Amoud Mosque serves the residents of Silwan as a whole, and thousands of prayers pray there especially on Fridays when the young people are denied entrance to Al-Aqsa Mosque and in the month of Ramadan. He also said that religious courses and lectures are held in this chapel. Sheikh Abu Diab said that Ras Al-Amoud Mosque was established since 1964 on a land owned by Al-Awqaf, prior to the occupation of Jerusalem clarifying that the land is separated from its surroundings; mocking the Israeli arguments that it disturbs the graves pointing out to the presence of a wall that separates the mosque from the Jewish cemetery which clearly stretched towards the wall. The people of Silwan are appealing to all concerned parties and legal organizations to immediately intervene to protect the chapel from being demolished.
