History Erased: Israel has destroyed 1000 year old mosques

[Manzareh]

1000 year old mosques destroyed in the wake of the Nakba



from Palestine Remembered
from archnet.org Photographer K.A.C. Creswell Copyright © Creswell Archive, Ashmolean Museum

I read an interesting article in Ha'aretz, an Israeli newspaper, about the destruction of 3 ancient mosques after the nakba and the creation of the state of Israel. They were in Yibna (Yavneh), Isdood (Ashdod) and Majdal (Ashkelon).

History Erased

By Meron Rapoport

In July 1950, Majdal - today Ashkelon - was still a mixed town. About 3,000 Palestinians lived there in a closed, fenced-off ghetto, next to the recently arrived Jewish residents. Before the 1948 war, Majdal had been a commercial and administrative center with a population of 12,000. It also had religious importance: nearby, amid the ruins of ancient Ashkelon, stood Mash'had Nabi Hussein, an 11th-century structure where, according to tradition, the head of Hussein Bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was interred; his death in Karbala, Iraq, marked the onset of the rift between Shi'ites and Sunnis. Muslim pilgrims, both Shi'ite and Sunni, would visit the site. But after July 1950, there was nothing left for them to visit: that's when the Israel Defense Forces blew up Mash'had Nabi Hussein.

This was not the only Muslim holy place destroyed after Israel's War of Independence. According to a book by Dr. Meron Benvenisti, of the 160 mosques in the Palestinian villages incorporated into Israel under the armistice agreements, fewer than 40 are still standing. What is unusual about the case of Mash'had Nabi Hussein is that the demolition is documented, and direct responsibility was taken by none other than the GOC Southern Command at the time, an officer named Moshe Dayan. The documentation shows that the holy site was blown up deliberately, as part of a broader operation that included at least two additional mosques, one in Yavneh and the other in Ashdod.

the rest of the article is here: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/878851.html

Yibna was said to be the site of Abu Hurierah's tomb (RA), but I have also read that his tomb is in Syria and Hussein Bin Ali's tomb is in Cairo, so Allahu 'alim.
The following list is from "Role of Palestinian Civil Society in the Protection of Holy Sites in Palestine" by Mr. Adnane Ibrahim Hassan Al Subah There is also a list of Christian sites that were destroyed, damaged or confiscated.

Mosques converted into facilities for other purposes
1- Al Bassa mosque - ‘Akka jurisdiction - (Shlomy) converted into a sheep enclosure.
2- Zaib mosque - ‘Akka jurisdiction - (Akhzif) converted into a storehouse for agricultural tools for the Aghzif Park.
3- Ain Zaitun mosque - Safad jurisdiction - converted into a cattle enclosure.
4- Al Ahmar mosque - Safad - converted into a meeting place for artists.
5- As-Souk mosque - Safad - converted into an exhibition hall for statutes and photographs.
6- Al Qal’a mosque - Safad - converted into the headquarters of the Safad municipality.
7- Al Khalissa mosque - (Kriat Shmona) - converted into a municipal museum.
8- Dar Al Baida mosque - East-north and south of the petrol station- converted into block of offices.
9- Al Burj mosque -‘Akka - converted into a university students’ affairs office.
10- Ain Hawd mosque - Jurisdiction of Haifa - converted into a restaurant and a bar.
11- The old mosque in Qissaria - Jurisdiction of Haifa - converted into an office for the architects of the Development Company
12- The new mosque in Qissaria - Jurisdiction of Haifa - converted into a restaurant and bar
13- Al Hamma mosque- the Golan - closed and used by the adjoining restaurant as a storage facility for alcohol and foodstuffs.
14- Siksek mosque - Yafa - the ground floor is used as a plastic plant and the first floor as a gambling joint.
15- Attabia mosque - closed down and used by a Christian as a house.
16- ‘Asqalan mosque - one side of it is a museum and the other is a bar restaurant.
17- Al Maliha mosque - Al Quds - part of the mosque is used as a house by a Jew and the terrace of the mosque is used to hold festivities for the neighbours.
18- The Great Mosque - Bir Sab’a - in a state of neglect but was previously used as a museum.
19- The Small Mosque - Bir Sab’a - converted into a shop run by a Jew.

Mosques and mausoleums converted into synagogues
1- Yaqub mosque and mausoleum - Safad - converted into a synagogue.
2- Yaquq mausoleum - jurisdiction of Tabariya - converted into a Jewish mausoleum called “Habquq.”
3- Sit Sukaina mausoleum - Tabariya - converted into a Jewish mausoleum called “Rachel.”
4- Sheikh Denial mausoleum - Dana, east of Tamra Azza’bia - Jurisdiction of Bissan- converted into a Jewish mausoleum called “Dan.”
5- Al ‘Afula Mosque - converted into a synagogue.
6- Kafrita mosque - Kafr Atta- converted into a synagogue.
7- Sheikh Chahada mausoleum - religious Jews visit this mausoleum with the intent of converting it into a Jewish mausoleum called “Zion Ibn Gideon.” Several violations have already been committed there.
8- Samaane mausoleum - northwest of Qulaiqila - converted into a Jewish mausoleum by the same name.
9- Benyamine mausoleum - north of Qulaiqila - converted into a Jewish mausoleum by the same name.
10- Ali Mausoleum - Alyazur - converted into a synagogue.
11- Mausoleum of Abu Huraira in Yibna - jurisdiction of Ramla - converted into a Jewish mausoleum for Rabbi Gimlael.
12- Mosque of Prophet Robin - South of Yafa - converted into a Jewish mausoleum called “Raobin Ibn Yaaqub.”
13- Mausoleum of Sheikh Gharbawi - west of Al Midia village - Modi’ine - converted into a Jewish mausoleum for Matatyahu.

Closed, Neglected and Demolished Mosques and Mausoleums
1- Umm Al Faraj mosque - jurisdiction of ‘Akka - (Ben Ammi) - demolished on 4/12/1997.
2- Wadi Al Hawarith mosque - jurisdiction of Tulkarem - (near Al Khudaira) - demolished by some Jews on 03/02/2000.
3- Sheikh Ni’ma mosque - Safad - demolished, but the minaret is still standing.
4- Al Khudar mausoleum - Al Bassa - Shlomy - in a state of neglect.
5- Al Zaidani mosque -Tabariyya- closed and in a state of neglect.
6- Al Bahar mosque - Tabariyya - closed and in a state of neglect.. The municipality of Tabariyya restored it for the purpose of using it as museum but it was burnt by a Jew on 6/2/2000.
7- Hittine mausoleum - jurisdiction of Tabariyya - (Kafar Zitim) - closed down several times by the Israeli land administration.
8- ‘Umqa mosque - ‘Umqa colony - closed, in a state of neglect and in danger of collapse.
9- Sheikh Mohammed Kwikat mausoleum - Bait Haemaq - in a state of neglect.
10- Prophet Yirchaa’s mausoleum - (Mitsoddat Yushaa) - jurisdiction of Safad- in a state of neglect.
11- Two mosques in Khan Jub Yussuf (Kibbutz Amead) - in a state of neglect.
12- Sheikh Ibriq mausoleum - Haifa coast - in a state of neglect.
13- Sheikh Ibriq mausoleum - Tabuun - in a state of neglect.
14- Prophet Hochan’s mausoleum - Hocha, north of Ibtine - jurisdiction of Haifa- restored by Muslims.
15- Mosque of Ibtine - jurisdiction of Haifa - in a state of neglect.
16- Ahmed mosque - ‘Akka - in a state of neglect.
17- Sumairiyya mosque - jurisdiction of ‘Akka - closed down by the Israeli Land Administration.
18- A mausoleum in Al Manchiyya - ‘Akka’ - inhabited by a Muslim family to preserve it.
19- Al Manchiyya mosque - in a state of neglect.
20- The Small mosque in Haifa - in a state of neglect ; Muslims are not allowed to restore and use it.
21- Assuhaili mausoleum - Balad Cheikh - Haifa - in a state of neglect.
22- Allujun mosque - Mjido- formerly converted into a carpenter shop, but now in a state of neglect.
23- Maalul mosque - jurisdiction of Nassera - demolished to a large extent and only a small portion remains.
24- A mausoleum in Tirat Al Karmal - Haifa jurisdiction - in a state of neglect.
25- Sarfand mosque - Haifa- (Hebonim) - in a state of neglect.
26- Ajzim mosque - coast of Haifa - closed down by the Israeli Land Administration. Anyone who violates the Israeli order risks going to prison.
27- Sheikh Ali mausoleum - Jab’- Coast of Haifa - in a state of neglect.
28- Umm Al ‘Alaq mosque - Rouha - (Rimat Handif) - in a state of neglect.
29- New mosque - Qissariya - demolished.
30- Sheikh Ahmed’s mausoleum - Al Khudaira - in a state of neglect.
31- Jamal Eddine Aqouch - south of Bir Sekka - in a state of neglect.
32- Saidna Ali mosque - Al Haram - (Herzelia) - restored by the Muslims and used for prayers.
33- Assadeq mausoleum - Majdal Sadeq - South of Kafr Qassim - jurisdiction of Ramla - in a state of neglect.
34- Prophet Yahya’s mausoleum - Al Muzairi’a - jurisdiction of Ramla- in a state of neglect.
35- Abi Al Awan’s mausoleum - Jamjuliyya - in a state of neglect.
36- Suraqa’s mausoleum - west of Qulaiqila - neglected.
37- A mausoleum in Al Midahdira - west of Tirat Bani Saab - in a state of neglect.
38- Maska mosque - west of Tirat Bani Saab - largely demolished.
39- Al Yazur mausoleum - jurisdiction of Yafa - in a state of neglect.
40- Ahmed Iqbal Usdud’s mausoleum - jurisdiction of Gaza - in a state of neglect.
41- Usdud mosque - jurisdiction of Gaza - partly demolished, in a state of neglect.
42- Sheikh ‘Awad mosque - ‘Asqalane - jurisdiction of Gaza - in a state of neglect.
43- Tamim Addari’s mausoleum - Bait Jibril - jurisdiction of Hebron - in a state of neglect, it was burnt three years ago.
44- Zakaraiyya’s mosque - north of Bait Jibril - in a state of neglect.
45- A mosque in Dir Sheikh - Al Quds mountains - in a state of neglect.
46- Ain Karem mosque - Al Quds - in a state of neglect. and used by drug addicts and prostitutes.
47- Lafta mosque - Al Quds - in a state of neglect.
48- Al Mijirmi’s mausoleum - Tantura - coast of Haifa - in a state of neglect.
49- Al Falluja mosque and mausoleum - jurisdiction of Gaza - the mausoleum was demolished one year and a half ago.
50- Mausoleum of Mohammed Al ‘Ajami - Al Majdil - Tabariyya - in a state of neglect.

Zionist Desecration of Cemeteries
1- Bulldozing of the cemeteries of ‘Aqer in the vicinity of Ramla, Salma, ‘Abbassiyya near Yafa, ‘Asqalane, and Istiqlal in Haifa. Houses, commercial centres and industrial zones were built where these cemeteries used to be.
2- Another group of cemeteries was converted into a rubbish dump, such as the cemeteries of Khayriyya and Yazur at the entrance of which a sign reads “Rubbish Dump”.
3- Other cemeteries were bulldozed to lay roads, set up animal farms or public parks.
4- The Ain Ghazal cemetery was converted into a municipal dump.
5- The Ain Hawd cemetery was converted into a parking lot.

[Badlun]

This is not something good to demolish religious worship places but Muslims also have done the same when they started from Makkah and Madina and spread in Asia and Africa. In many places we dont see a single non Muslim religious place. In India many temples were demolished and converted into mosques. Before pointing out to others we must do some introspection too. This is all power politics. Muslims had power they did the same what today the powerful Isreal is doing.

Personally I consider Isreal to be the ideal state in the Middle east , the only democracy, the only developed state with science and technology as compared to the dictatorial ignorant Arab world.

[graveyardofempires]

This is not something good to demolish religious worship places but Muslims also have done the same when they started from Makkah and Madina and spread in Asia and Africa. In many places we dont see a single non Muslim religious place. In India many temples were demolished and converted into mosques. Before pointing out to others we must do some introspection too. This is all power politics. Muslims had power they did the same what today the powerful Isreal is doing.

Personally I consider Isreal to be the ideal state in the Middle east , the only democracy, the only developed state with science and technology as compared to the dictatorial ignorant Arab world.

LOL
this explains your stance
now i know where you are coming from so it doesnt surprise me to see you spewing bias all over the place.

[Catya Sher]

Oh my gosh ! I am nauseated at what "Osho" wrote.

If those who are on the Islamic side - sometimes it seems a distinct minority on this site ! -
were the same as Mi-G , Toramana, Shlombay recently as well -
we would be chanting the mantra to Osho:
"If you like Israel so much why don't you go take up residency there !"

What Manzareh found is a treasure trove of little known information.
Look the Isnotrealis are so ruthless, they also bulldoze sites holy for
Catholics and Orthodox.

They hate everyone but themselves.

This destruction of holy sites is like spitting on the people of that religion.

It should never be tolerated.

When Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Istanbul, he did destroy the Church of the Holy Apostles and built the Fatih Cami [mosque].

But this was very rare indeed. The main Cathedral, Aya Sofia, he simply converted over into a mosque.
He did not destroy it.

So there are not THAT many examples of Muslim conquerors doing this.

I have seen myself many Ateshkadehs [fire temples] of the Zoroastrians
which have functioned for many centuries.
Muslims did not snuff out their Sacred Fire and get rid of the shrines.

Look at Armenian churches all over northern Iran and northeastern Turkey, such as Ani [where I took the trouble to visit. So, I can testify personally that it is intact].

Muslims left them untouched, and they are regarded as national monuments
in which the countries take great pride as part of their historic pasts.

[Manzareh]

LOL @ Isnotrealis..Catya, in Spain the muslims actually built churches and places of worship for other religions, they even maintained synigogs! the same when Umar took over Jerusalaam..what osho wrote is nonsence. here in the UK many Churches have been converted in mosques BUT the churches are put up for sale! some churches here have even been converted into night clubs and discos. we view our mosques in a different light of esteem

[کیش]

what a bunch of anti-Semites. Don't you know god gave them the right to do whatever they want to.

[Catya Sher]

I know you're joking - at least I HOPe you are!

Would anyone be scandalized if I said that I long ago concluded that
all that "Chosen People" stuff was made up ?

It was just a power lever to pull when the Isnotrealis need special treatment.
A lot of people fell for this ruse, cleverly planted by ancient Jewish writers/propagandist artists.


I think the authentic scriptures were/are the Dead Sea Scrolls.
I wonder whether this Jews As Chosen People scenario was
mentioned in those, found in jars in a caves in a place called Qumran near the Dead Sea in the 1940s by
a Palestinian shepherd boy.

It would be interesting to check.

[Catya Sher]

Manzareh,

I'm fascinated with that time of Moorish rule in Spain.
I know you posted something awhile back about it.

I didn't have to read it then.

I knew about the tolerance extended toward other People of the Book,
but did not know about Muslims helping build churches.

That's really important.
Of course no one in Western officialdom wants to hear this unwelcome news:
they are vested in making sure ALL Americans and others believe implicitly
that Muslims are livid with hate of Christians.

They aren't at all but the powers that rule today want to ensure this permanent mentality of a state of siege by Muslims against Christians.

Instead it's a permanent state of siege by Zionists against both Christians and Muslims.

But few are perceptive enough to ferret out the truth.

[کیش]

I read the dead seas scrolls about two years ago. They were real strict like the Taliban, but more extreme!

[Catya Sher]

Yeah, exactly !

They lived in a monastic lifestyle
and focused on purity of spirituality.

They were divided into two groups married
and not married.

They wore their clothes until those wore out completely
It was very ascetic lifestyle
You're right, moer than the Taliban who also care about
pure lifestyle but are not quite so ascetic as the Essenes.

I always liked the Essenes very much.
They were spiritual.
The rest of the old Jewish peoples were
just dogmatic about their law and sometimes
too fanatic, like the Pharisees who had no compassion.

Esoteric-minded people often believe that Prophet Isa and his mother and father
and grandparents were all Essenes.
John the Baptist for sure was.

I respect the school of the Essenes.
THOSE would never have demolished other people's
places of worship like the mainstream Zionists have done.

Essenes were a mystical otherworldly group, led by
someone called The Teacher of Righteousness.

They were sober-minded, as well as mostly or completely vegetarian.

The Essenes were considerate of others, in short.
They lived out by themselves so as to have a purer life
and not mix with bad sorts of people.

[Badlun]

I dont believe in the concept of chosen people but the same concept has been corroborated by the Holy Quran.

Except few examples because of political expediency or wisdom or tolerance or some other reason, in Palestine or Spain or Iran we dont see thousands of worship places of non Muslims out side Makkah and Madina. Even Makkah and Madina were originally places of infidels or non Muslims.

What happened to the Jews of Madina, the statues of Kaaba and the millions of worship places all over the Arab world, Africa, India etc before Islam. We know that this whole world was non Muslim before Islam but we dont see all those churches, synoqogues etc after the invasion of Islam.

I dont blame Muslims for this. They had power and they did so. Today Israel has power and they do so. But I prefer demoratic and developed Israel to the Sheikhs of Arabia the despots and the uneducated lot.

[graveyardofempires]

I dont believe in the concept of chosen people but the same concept has been corroborated by the Holy Quran.

Except few examples because of political expediency or wisdom or tolerance or some other reason, in Palestine or Spain or Iran we dont see thousands of worship places of non Muslims out side Makkah and Madina. Even Makkah and Madina were originally places of infidels or non Muslims.

What happened to the Jews of Madina, the statues of Kaaba and the millions of worship places all over the Arab world, Africa, India etc before Islam. We know that this whole world was non Muslim before Islam but we dont see all those churches, synoqogues etc after the invasion of Islam.

I dont blame Muslims for this. They had power and they did so. Today Israel has power and they do so. But I prefer demoratic and developed Israel to the Sheikhs of Arabia the despots and the uneducated lot.

STOP!!!
the apologitic attitude
this question of why there is no christian church in Arabia is getting old and rusty,the reason is clear Arabia is the centre of muslims and it is ruled by some hypocrites who choose to have american bases inside the country to protect "american interests" in arabia.
these people that came along with this stealth invasion are some folks who want to lay in the sun to get a brown and they arent there as christians so what is the reason for a church?

Mecca and Medina were not originally place of worship of as you call them infidels or pagans.this place especially Kaba was was built by Abraham (AS) to worship Allah ,after time the people became corrupted so this paganism started and the had invaded this place of worship with their pagan idols.

what happend to the jews in Medina is first of all non of your concerns and it is a historical event while this is happening now.

the statues in Kaba were filth in the House of Allah which was created by a muslim named Ibrahim pbuh.Thanks to Our great prophet Mohammad pbuh it was cleaned from all these stinking stuff.

who says the world was non muslim before Islam,do you know what a muslim means? Adam was the first muslim and the second was Hava pbut.

not only you blame muslims here but you try to justify the killings and buldozing of palestinians using your typical islamophobic arguments.

If muslims were so bad why was the golden age of jews under the Islamic Empire and how is it that Christians still exist in middle east if muslims were the evil people who abuse power?how come there are still so many hindus and sikhs?
your arguments are taken from the same islamophobes who prey on the ignorance of the masses.
you prefer democratic(you couldnt spell it)Israel?
excuse me,the whole notion os Israel as God given land is undemocratic.

no wonder you made that other biased thread about Afghan women,believe me Afghan women dont need people such as you to talk on their behalf ,they have freedom and rights.

[Badlun]

Arabia was christian or jew or pagan before the Islam of Muhammad. Now we see only few pockets of these religions there. The statues may be a filth for some but were gods for those pagans. Lets be objective and not subjective while talking of facts and history. I being a Muslim may favour the act of the demolishing of those statues and worship places but as a describer of history it happened. It happened that hazrat Ayesha fought againt Hazrat Ali and Yazeed against Imam Huseein. And Abassids killed Umayads. This was all politics and not religion.

Whats going on now in Israel and Palestine is also a phenomenon of Realism and real politik. We should take it in a rational way. If you want to defeat Israel then you should be as advanced as Israel in science and technology. If Isreal really wants it can finish the whole Arab world in few seconds.

[Catya Sher]

Osho I would be sure that you were born as a Bahai in America who was therefore
pro-Zionist/Jewish.
The Bahai temple is on Mt Carmel in Palestine, after all.
I'm not saying all Bahais are spies.
But there must be some congruity between the two groups to permit the Bahai temple to stay there untouched by aggressive Israeli govt actions.
It's kind of rare...as we see by Manzareh's article and my assertion that Christian sites
are treated with supreme disrespect by Tel Aviv's policies.
The wish is to wipe them ALL out.
But so far no word has been uttered against Bahais...

Bahais are also fiercely pro=American, because they believe it is their "Savior, Messiah...etc" = sound familiar ??!

[graveyardofempires]

you say you are muslim but sound as if you believe in almighty israel and its power.
if you are a muslim you would know nothing happens without Allah's leave.

and i dont want to go in a lengthy discussion about politics thousands of years ago and the man made clay statues.