Muslim Brotherhood statement: The Judaization of Jerusalem, and the attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque has entered a critical stage, especially after the Israeli occupation authorities have opened the so-called “Ruin Synagogue,” in accordance with their beliefs as a preliminary step toward demolishing the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The city has witnessed many human rights violations in the vicinity of the al-Aqsa Mosque and nearby places as a result of the massive uprising of the Palestinians in the West Bank. Despite the people's willingness to defend their sanctities, the ruling Arab regimes, including the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), are not prepared to stand in opposition against the IOF plans for the Judaization of Jerusalem. In fact the PA has attempted to prevent the organizing of demonstrations against the Judaization in the West Bank, taking all the necessary measures to avoid the outbreak of a third Palestinian uprising. Scenes in Egypt are similar, where there are continuing arrests of members of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement, who rallied in mass protests on Friday, March 12, in order to salvage Jerusalem and defend the Holy Mosque. In light of what is currently accelerating in Palestine, the MB emphasizes the following: First: IOF's attempts to Judaize Jerusalem 1. The Muslim Brotherhood continues to reject the IOF's plan to seize control over the old city of Jerusalem. The al-Aqsa Mosque is the responsibility of all the Arab and Muslim nations and we must remain strong and not be deterred from our cause whatever the sacrifices. 2. The Arab and Islamic regimes must express their anger and break the shameful silence towards the IOF's practices and declare their full rejection. All ties with the Israeli state must be severed in addition to the expulsion and withdrawal of respective ambassadors. Any form of normalization between the enemy and the regimes is reason enough for people to express their anger and rejection of the Judaizing of Jerusalem and the demolishing of the Aqsa Mosque. 3. Arab media must perform the role assigned to them concerning the Palestinian cause as a central issue, where it must struggle to expose the excesses of the Occupation's authorities and the West's shameful silence. Moreover the international institutions and European countries that boast they are defending human freedom and personal dignity must witness these atrocities. Both the state-run and independent media should also disclose the weaknesses of the Arab regimes and be a trumpeter for what is happening with the frequent violations against the Aqsa Mosque. 4. Arabs and Muslims alike must have a serious and effective role in pressuring their regimes to fully support the Palestinian cause. People must resist any schemes that seek to curb the voice of the people, who are unsatisfied with the US-backed conspiracies accepted by the European and Arab governments. 5. The Arab League must immediately withdraw the 2002 peace initiative. Furthermore it must not consent to any direct or indirect negotiations with the Israeli occupation authorities. 6. All the Palestinian factions must put aside their differences and make the al-Aqsa Mosque a key issue and unify all efforts. Second: The Brotherhood's reform activities on the Egyptian political arena 1. There is no doubt that for any effective political and social reform to be achieved all opposition political powers must unite in agreement on a package of key demands. First and foremost is calling for freedom for all, the ending of emergency law, and the implementation of full judicial supervision over parliamentary elections to ensure fair elections free from fraud and the freedom to establish political parties and freedom to publish newspapers. 2. The Muslim Brotherhood ascertains that they oppose the so-called electoral deals. The ruling NDP party does not want a surge in Egypt's political life since it will expose the rampant corruption in all state sectors. The Brotherhood has full faith in the people's opinion and their preferences and believes they must enjoy complete freedom in choosing their leaders and representatives in parliament and local councils. 3. The existing regime seeks to harm the unity of the Egyptian opposition through tarnishing their image, questioning their integrity and igniting the fire of sedition and hatred among the parties. 4. The ongoing campaign of detentions and arrests in the ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood and the continued defiance of the regime and the state security apparatus to the prosecution's and court rulings decisions on the release of the detainees confirms that Egypt is experiencing a real crisis. The ruling regime must abandon its obstinate stand with its association with Egypt's active opposition bloc, especially during these difficult times. We warn of the consequences of the unrestrained behavior by security officers against women and children and the torture of some detainees, which have in fact taken place in the governorates of Fayoum and Giza. BM
