Tuesday, May 21, 2013

How, Um, Generous: Chechnya Funds Construction of Massive Mosque in Israel

It's all very "peace-y," though:
If all goes according to plan, by the end of the year a mega mosque — second in size only to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount — will open in the Arab village of Abu Ghosh outside Jerusalem, largely funded by the Islamic Republic of Chechnya.  
Located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) west of Jerusalem on the main highway to Tel Aviv and with a population of just over 6,000, Abu Ghosh — renowned for its hummus restaurants, classical music festival and ancient picturesque churches — boasts close relations with its predominantly Jewish surroundings. Somehow, Islam was always a footnote in the village’s public image. But that may change soon.
Construction on the mosque, tentatively referred to as “the Mosque of Peace,” began two years ago, is currently in full swing, and is expected to end by October, Abu Ghosh Mayor Salim Jaber told The Times of Israel. He said the municipality decided to construct a new mosque to accommodate local worshipers, who have been forced to pray on the sidewalks on Fridays and holidays for lack of current prayer space in the town...
Hate to be such a Devorah downer, but I'm pretty sure "peace" means something quite different to Islamist Chechens than it does to Israeli Jews. 

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