Embassy reponds to March to Jerusalem
The Israeli Embassy in Wellington has issued a statement commenting on the “Global March to Jerusalem”.
The statement:
The so-called “Global March to Jerusalem” (GMJ) , scheduled to take place today seeks to organize a number of simultaneous marches to Israel’s borders from various Arab countries, including Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, as well as Anti-Israeli demonstrations and propaganda events in several cities around the world.
Sadly, The GMJ is an attempt to distract the international attention from what is happening in Syria and Iran during a highly volatile period in the Middle East. The true nature of the GMJ is revealed by the “movers and shakers” of the organization, who are primarily radical Islamists. Among those involved are members of Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran. All are well known and recognized as terror organizations and supporters, by many of the western countries.
Senior organisers of this demonstration include Ahmed Abo Halabiya, a hamas MP who in 2000 gave a sermon saying ”have no mercy on the Jews, no matter where they are, in any country. Fight them, wherever you are. Wherever you meet them, kill them” as well as Abdul Maqri, an Algerian activist on board the Mavi Marmara who while on the same ship, declared “Israel will be annihilated soon”.
Participation of Western groups and individuals in this event alongside extremists only serves to encourage the escalation of tensions and even violence. Furthermore, it is hypocritical that supposedly “pro-human rights groups” are joining an action that may include a march from Syria – where the most basic rights are currently being violently repressed – towards the only democratic state in the region.
The marchers’ rallying cry is “saving Al-Aqsa from the Jews!” (The mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem) giving religious attributes to the action which might incite violence. “Al-Aqsa” mosque is actually under the control of the “Waqf” (Muslim religious trust) and while Israel continues to ensure that Jerusalem’s holy sites of all religions is protected and that freedom of religion is guaranteed to all.
The GMJ has the potential to provoke clashes with Israel’s border guards in an attempt to spark violence and mayhem in a way that will damage Israel’s reputation and generate international pressure on the Jewish state.
Israel, like every sovereign nation, Israel, reserves the right to control its borders and to protect the security of its citizens.
Any attempt to breech Israel’s borders would constitute a violation of one of the most basic international principles, the right to control entrance to its territory. The Israel Defense Forces will act with maximum restraint, but will do all what it needs to stop infiltrators from penetrating its borders.
