Islamic State
(asked on 26th January 2016) - View Source
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the remarks by Sheikh Abu Taqi Al-Din Al-Dari delivered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and posted online on 16 January, that "the basic principle is that the Islamic state should work to conquer the world through Jihad for the sake of Allah" and that "it must conquer Rome, Washington, and Paris"; and, in the light of the recent visit to the UK of the Grand Imam of Al-Aqsa, whether they are in discussion with him about the effect of incitements to violence.
This question was answered on 2nd February 2016
Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem have discussed this in detail with the Jordanian Waqf, including raising our concern over the language used. The remarks made are indeed deeply concerning. However, the person filmed (Sheikh Abu Taqi Al-Din Al-Dari) has no connection to the Palestinian Authority, or the Jordanian Waqf. Although the video footage does appear to show him speaking inside the al Aqsa mosque, he was not preaching from the minbar, nor is he authorised to do so by the Waqf. We regularly raise incitement with the Palestinian Authority, and have urged key figures to encourage calm and condemn violence. Our Consul-General raised the issue of incitement most recently with the Palestinian Minister of Health on 21 January, and Fatah Central Committee member Jibril Rjoub on 26 January. We welcome President Abbas’ recent restated commitment to reviving the Tripartite Committee on Incitement, as the best channel to address allegations of Israeli and Palestinian incitement.
Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem have discussed this in detail with the Jordanian Waqf, including raising our concern over the language used. The remarks made are indeed deeply concerning. However, the person filmed (Sheikh Abu Taqi Al-Din Al-Dari) has no connection to the Palestinian Authority, or the Jordanian Waqf. Although the video footage does appear to show him speaking inside the al Aqsa mosque, he was not preaching from the minbar, nor is he authorised to do so by the Waqf. We regularly raise incitement with the Palestinian Authority, and have urged key figures to encourage calm and condemn violence. Our Consul-General raised the issue of incitement most recently with the Palestinian Minister of Health on 21 January, and Fatah Central Committee member Jibril Rjoub on 26 January. We welcome President Abbas’ recent restated commitment to reviving the Tripartite Committee on Incitement, as the best channel to address allegations of Israeli and Palestinian incitement.