Safeguarding Jerusalem a global concern — Prince Hassan

AMMAN — Jerusalem’s heritage is not only an Arab Islamic and Christian responsibility, but an international concern that all humanity should preserve, according to HRH Prince Hassan.

At a seminar on Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian sites organised on Monday by the Arab Thought Forum (ATF) in cooperation with the Royal Cultural Centre and Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, Prince Hassan called for forming an international council responsible for safeguarding the holy city’s historical sites against Israel’s “Judaising” practices.

The Kingdom, he said, realises its historical and national responsibilities towards Jerusalem, its awqaf and sacred sites, and has always focused on preserving and reconstructing them.

The prince said a Christian and Islamic “umbrella” should provide support for Jordan’s position as custodian of Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian sites, calling for adopting a strategy to also support the steadfastness of Jerusalemites by taking an official Arab, Muslim, Christian and international stand on attempts to divide Al Aqsa Mosque.

He also stressed the importance of unifying Islamic and Christian efforts to fight Judaisation and avoid any situation that could spark internal disagreements among members of the two religions themselves.

Acting ATF Secretary General Mohammad Abu Hammour said the issue of Palestine, especially Jerusalem, represents a major challenge to the Arab and Muslim nation.

Hisham Khatib, president of the ATF’s Jerusalem committee, said preserving the holy city’s Islamic and Christian sites can be done by documenting them in an atlas, and by promoting the legal rulings calling for their preservation.