Jerusalem Mufti praises Jerusalem resolutions, Arafat more guarded

The Mufti of Jerusalem, Shiekh Ikermeh Sabri, has described the outcomes of Jerusalem committee's meetings that concluded last Thursday under the leadership of Moroccan monarch King Hassan II as positive and promising.

He said that the resolutions taken by the committee will be very important, when actually applied, to rescue Jerusalem from the Israeli plans that aim at scattering and diminishing the Arab Islamic personality in the city.

The Mufti added that the Israeli occupation forces have launched the battle of Jerusalem early in order to impose the policy of "the accomplished fact."

He also said that the great challenges and dangers confronting the city need condensed Arab and Islamic action that enhances the ability of Palestinian citizens to stand firmly on their land and resist the Israeli dangers.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Arafat told the Algerian daily "Saout Al Ahrar," the Committee's decisions are likely to enable the Arabs and Palestinians face up the challenges posed to the holy city of Jerusalem.

Arafat conceded that the committee's recommendations to provide funds to the Palestinians were "insufficient," but he affirmed they sounded the alarm bell. "That is why, he said, we called for the holding of an extraordinary Arab summit, and an Islamic summit, too."

He also threatened that he was "ready to wage a new intifada (uprising)," Map reported

The Palestinian president renewed his intent to proclaim next year an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital.

Arafat had said that he will proclaim the Palestinian state in May 1999, the initial date for the begining of the final status negotiations with Israel.