Imam of Al Aqsa Mosque to Attend Conference on Palestine

Jakarta - The imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ali Al-Abbasi, will attend the International Conference for the Freedom of Al-Quds and Palestine, to be held in Bandung, West Java, on July 4-5, 2012. "A number of prominent Muslim figures from all over the world will attend the conference, including Al-Aqsa's imam, Dr Ali Al-Abbasi," said Yakhsyallah Mansur, the chairman of the conference's organising committee, here on Tuesday. The speakers of the conference will come from 20 countries and the participants include ulemas, foreign ambassadors from Islamic countries, and human rights activists. The conference is aimed at supporting Palestine in its efforts to gain independence. Among the 106 member countries that attended the first Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung in 1955, Palestine is the only one that has not achieved independence yet. "It is an obligation for the independent nations to help Palestine gain its freedom," Yakhsyallah said, adding that after Palestine achieved independence, the freedom of three major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - would be guaranteed. The recommendations of the conference will be sent to the United Nations in October, during the UN General Assembly. "We hope the UN would consider the recommendations," Yakhsyallah said. Among those expected to speak at the event are Dr Ali Al-Abbasi (Imam of Al-Aqha mosque, Palestine), Sheikh Umar bin Sulaiman Al-Asyqar (University of Jordan) and Marzuki Alie (Indonesian Parliament Speaker). (*)