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Peace activists urge Trump to prevent Jerusalem escalation

Americans for Peace Now (APN) to Trump Administration: Help Prevent Further Escalation in Jerusalem

Washington, DC – Alarmed at the flare-up of violence on and around Jerusalem’s Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif, and extremely concerned about a further deterioration, Americans for Peace Now (APN) is calling on the Trump administration to offer its services to help establish security arrangements in this sensitive spot, which would be accepted and respected by all.

Following the shooting attack that took the lives of two Israeli police officers last week, Israel’s authorities decided on a set of security arrangements on the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif, the holiest site to Judaism and the third holiest to Islam. These arrangements are viewed by Muslims as violating the delicate “Status Quo” that serves to maintain stability at the site.

Security measures are obviously necessary at this spot, and APN reserves judgement on the specifics of the security tools utilized in Jerusalem’s Holy Basin. However, we strongly believe that it is imperative for all parties involved to play an active, constructive role in determining this security regime and in maintaining it.

Christian religious presence imposes itself in Jerusalem despite pressures from all sides. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

APN welcomes the current discussions taking place between the Israeli government and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to find a resolution to the current crisis and to find ways to avoid bloodshed on Friday, after the traditional weekly prayer at al-Aqsa Mosque.

We urge our government to offer its good offices to all the parties involved to advance a formula that would address the unique security requirements of this holy site, uphold its sanctity, allow for freedom of worship, and garner respect and cooperation by the parties involved.

Jerusalem’s Holy Basin may be the most politically and religiously volatile spot on earth. It is incumbent upon all stakeholders in Jerusalem and beyond not to allow surges in tension revolving around the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif to mushroom into a religious war.

ABOUT APN

APN is the sister organization of Shalom Achshav (Peace Now), Israel’s preeminent peace movement. APN’s mission is to educate and persuade the American public and its leadership to support and adopt policies that will lead to comprehensive, durable, Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab peace, based on a two-state solution, guaranteeing both peoples security, and consistent with U.S. national interests. APN also works to ensure Israel’s future and the viability of Israel’s democracy and Jewish character through education, activism and advocacy in the United States, and by mobilizing American support for Shalom Achshav.

For more information on Americans for Peace Now, click here.

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rayhanania

Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

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