ISTANBUL: Dontations given from all over the world to the Palestinians of Jerusalem are not actually materializing, according to the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Sheikh Mohammed Hussein. Speaking at Al-Quds International Forum in Istanbul late Thursday, Hussein said "money is collected everywhere as donations for Al-Quds, but we know nothing about it; we don't receive the money. The Palestinian cause rallies the entirety of the Arab and Muslim world around it, and enormous sums of money are donated annually by citizens and governments to the Palestinians. The Grand Mufti's comments cast doubt on where these funds were ending up. Hussein was speaking at a session entitled "Jerusalem's Present Suffering - Jerusalemite Experiences where the results of occuaption and its effects on the Palestinian residents of the city were presented. Etedal El Ash hab, the vice-director of the educational body in Jerusalem said that "the Israeli government infringes on the right of Al-Quds residents to education by applying conflicting educational policies. Additionally Dr. Raouf Abou Jaber, head of the Orthodox Church in Jordan and Palestine maintained that his Church was suffering oppression at Israeli hands, who in his words were attempting to remove any semblance of Arab and Palestinian identity from the Orthodox Church. Al-Quds International Forum began in Istanbul Thursday and although panels contained guest speakers from the city's Christian communities, the majority of participants represented Islamic organizations. Running concurrently with the sessions is a large exhibition for Palestine, which while presenting haunting images of Palestinian suffering, also has stalls with posters of Hezbollah leader Sayed Hassan Nasrallah and assassinated spiritual leader of Hamas Sheikh Ahmed Yassin hanging on the walls. A large Iranian contingent is also present. The opening conference statements expressed solidarity with Iran in the face of American and Western pressures. However, this did not seem to deter Father Attalah Hanna Attalah, Head Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, who said "Al-Quds unifies us, Muslim and Christians; Al-Quds unities us all as Palestinians .We call upon our bothers to put aside their differences and unite in order to liberate the Holy City; in order to liberate Al Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Resurrection. The presence of British MP and head of the Respect Party George Galloway added a different face, and much flavor, to the proceedings. The MP asked in his opening speech "Why are Arab governors in cooperation with terrorists? How can you have normalization with someone who is occupying your lands, stealing your home? The forum will continue until the Nov. 17, when a declaration confirming the historical rights of the Palestinians to Jerusalem, as well as condemning the eradication of the Arab, Islamic and Christian identity of the city, will be issued
