Friday 9 July 2010

Habbash slammed for ordering closure of mosques in Tulkarem district


[ 09/07/2010 - 11:21 AM ]

TULKAREM, (PIC)-- Residents of the Tulkarem district expressed their anger at the decision taken by the Minister of Awqaf in Ramallah's government, Mahmoud al-Hbbash, to close down a number of mosques on Fridays and said the move has presented them with difficulties.

The residents of Jarousheyya and Masqoufa to the north of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, issued a statement on Thursday expressing their dissatisfaction with the "new policy of the Tulkarem Awqaf Directorate regarding the closure of a number of mosques on Friday," calling upon officials to reverse their decision and expressing condemnation of the Awqafs threats to the residents of the villages.

"Jarousheyya and Masqoufa have two mosques only, the old mosque of Jarousheyya and the Shuhada Mosque which is bigger. The Shuhada Mosque which lies on the main road and used by many local people and passers by from neighbouring villages was closed depriving hundreds of people attending the Friday prayers," the statement said.

The residents also complained that they had problems fitting into the old mosque last Friday because of the closure of the Shuhada Mosque.

They also criticised the behaviour of the Director of Awqaf in Tulkarem who rejected their appeal, when they sent a delegation to meet him and discuss the matter with him and he threatened any person who tries to open the Shuhada mosque for the Friday prayers with imprisonment.

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