President of Al-Quds University on Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital: The US "must understand that the Palestinian people will resist this decision… whatever the cost of its resistance"
Headline: "The president of Al-Quds Open University speaks at a conference on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena"
"President of Al-Quds Open University and [Fatah] Revolutionary Council member Prof. Younes Amr spoke at a conference organized yesterday [Jan. 29, 2018] by the [Fatah] Shabiba Student Movement and the student council at the Yatta branch of the university on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena…
He said that [US President Donald] Trump's promise (i.e., recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and promise to transfer the US embassy to it; see note below) is more dangerous to the Palestinian people than the Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration), by virtue of which Britain gave Palestine to the Jews, and therefore Trump and his racist administration – which is biased in favor of the occupation – must understand that the Palestinian people will resist this decision with all of its strength and will not let it pass, whatever the cost of its resistance to the decision may be. At the moment we are at the stage of popular resistance to the decision, and it is possible that it will move on to a different stage.
He explained that the Canaanite Palestinian people has been under many occupations, all of which have passed, and that [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas spoke correctly when he said: 'We are remaining here and will not leave; the occupation is the one that will leave. Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of the occupation is meaningless, and our people and its leadership will continue to defy and stand firm. The Jews have no religious connection to [Jerusalem], and their connection to it is a connection of military occupation (sic., the last sentence in this quote was said by Younes Amr, not Mahmoud Abbas).'
Amr spoke about the use of incorrect concepts by members of the media and intellectuals, such as the expression 'Holy of Holies.' He emphasized that this is a Jewish expression that it is better not to use to describe the occupied city of Jerusalem.
Prof. Amr said: 'Our conflict with the occupation at the moment is over a foothold in Jerusalem, and we must continue to stand firm on our land and not to leave it, whatever may be. Our people must also multiply in order to overcome the Jews demographically. The residents of Jerusalem are important as the Al-Aqsa Mosque is important, because without the residents of Jerusalem and without worshippers, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is liable to turn into a museum, similarly to the Granada Mosque (the Alhambra; see note below –Ed.), and Israel is liable to destroy it and build the Temple in its place.'"
The mention of Granada Mosque refers to the Alhambra, which is now a museum, and which is considered by Muslims to be a symbol of the Islamic rule in Spain from 711 to 1492.
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations.
The Balfour Declaration of Nov. 2, 1917 was a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Baron Rothschild stating that “His Majesty's government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” In 1922, the League of Nations adopted this and made the British Mandate “responsible for putting into effect the declaration,” which led to the UN vote in 1947 and the establishment of the State of Israel.
"President of Al-Quds Open University and [Fatah] Revolutionary Council member Prof. Younes Amr spoke at a conference organized yesterday [Jan. 29, 2018] by the [Fatah] Shabiba Student Movement and the student council at the Yatta branch of the university on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena…
He said that [US President Donald] Trump's promise (i.e., recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and promise to transfer the US embassy to it; see note below) is more dangerous to the Palestinian people than the Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration), by virtue of which Britain gave Palestine to the Jews, and therefore Trump and his racist administration – which is biased in favor of the occupation – must understand that the Palestinian people will resist this decision with all of its strength and will not let it pass, whatever the cost of its resistance to the decision may be. At the moment we are at the stage of popular resistance to the decision, and it is possible that it will move on to a different stage.
He explained that the Canaanite Palestinian people has been under many occupations, all of which have passed, and that [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas spoke correctly when he said: 'We are remaining here and will not leave; the occupation is the one that will leave. Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of the occupation is meaningless, and our people and its leadership will continue to defy and stand firm. The Jews have no religious connection to [Jerusalem], and their connection to it is a connection of military occupation (sic., the last sentence in this quote was said by Younes Amr, not Mahmoud Abbas).'
Amr spoke about the use of incorrect concepts by members of the media and intellectuals, such as the expression 'Holy of Holies.' He emphasized that this is a Jewish expression that it is better not to use to describe the occupied city of Jerusalem.
Prof. Amr said: 'Our conflict with the occupation at the moment is over a foothold in Jerusalem, and we must continue to stand firm on our land and not to leave it, whatever may be. Our people must also multiply in order to overcome the Jews demographically. The residents of Jerusalem are important as the Al-Aqsa Mosque is important, because without the residents of Jerusalem and without worshippers, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is liable to turn into a museum, similarly to the Granada Mosque (the Alhambra; see note below –Ed.), and Israel is liable to destroy it and build the Temple in its place.'"
The mention of Granada Mosque refers to the Alhambra, which is now a museum, and which is considered by Muslims to be a symbol of the Islamic rule in Spain from 711 to 1492.
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations.
The Balfour Declaration of Nov. 2, 1917 was a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Baron Rothschild stating that “His Majesty's government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” In 1922, the League of Nations adopted this and made the British Mandate “responsible for putting into effect the declaration,” which led to the UN vote in 1947 and the establishment of the State of Israel.