US pro-Israel policy fueling Arab ire: Prince Saud

RIYADH - Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Saud Al- Faisal said on 23 October that the US failure to rein in Israeli military actions against Palestinians was poisoning Arab opinion toward Washington.

In a Reuters interview, Prince Saud also said he was optimistic there would not be a US-led attack on Iraq, because of US willingness to work through the United Nations.

Asked about anti-American attitudes in Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud said only one thing prompted criticism and this was US support for Israel.

He said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon claimed he had full backing for his actions against Palestinians following a string of bombing. "If this is not true, we think the United States should deny it. But Sharon says he has the go-ahead of the United States and this is what is poisoning attitudes in the Arab world," Prince Saud said, adding that Israel used US planes and military equipment for its campaign against Palestinians. Asked what Washington should do, Prince Saud said: "Stop Israeli attacks on the Palestinians and start serious negotiations for peace."

At least 2,000 Palestinians have been killed since the uprising began in September 2000.

Prince Saud said he hoped US President George W. Bush's willingness to work through the United Nations on Iraq would not only lessen the chance of war but also remove it altogether.

Asked if he believed there would be no war, he replied: "Of course, I am optimistic. I hope it will lead to a peaceful solution. That is the best of all worlds." He said he saw no reason for military action against Iraq if Baghdad responded positively to the UN resolutions as it had promised fellow Arab countries. "Indeed that is what the US president has indicated. His intent is not military action."

The UN Security Council has been deadlocked for a month on a new resolution on sending arms inspectors into Iraq to look for weapons of mass destruction, with strong opposition from veto-wielding nations France and Russia to a tough US draft. - Rtr.

MWL calls for unity among Muslims

HALIFAX (the United Kingdom) - Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL) Dr. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mohsin Al- Turki, who was recently on a trip in the United Kingdom to encourage Da'wah work among the Muslim communities, inaugurated a mosque and a school of the Ahl Al-Hadith Central Society in Halifax recently.

A formal oratory ceremony was observed on the occasion during which the speakers rendered welcome speeches and expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of the MWL in the service of Islamic communities worldwide, giving a special tribute to the secretary- general for patronizing this ceremony and for his generous contribution. They also commended the MWL's role in boosting joint Islamic work and deepening relations and understanding among the Muslim societies.

The Imam and Khateeb of the mosque thanked and admired the Saudi government for its efforts, support and generous help and assistance in the service of Islam and Muslims all over the world.

He also praised the great role played by the MWL in serving Islamic communities and Muslim minorities by contributing toward the building of mosques, schools and cultural centers in order to strengthen these communities and enable them to advocate true Islamic values and teachings.

On his part, the Emir of Ahl Al-Hadith Society in Pakistan delivered a speech on the importance of the mosque's message in deepening the Islamic thought and highlighting their role in propagating Islam. He was referring to the smear campaign by certain Western media against Muslims following the events of September 11 and stressing that the main concern of these societies should now shift to correcting the misconceptions which certain quarters were trying to spread about Islam and the Muslims for attaining their vested interests.

On his part, Dr. Al-Turki called on the Muslims to unify their ranks and their role in the face of those campaigns and to cooperate with the society, in which they were living, deepen relations and good understanding and reflect a good image of Islam.

In another ceremony marking the inauguration of the Ahl Al- Hadith Society mosque, Dr. Al- Turki affirmed the importance of cooperation among the members of the Muslim community and urged them to pay more attention to mosques and to advocate the message of peace and tolerance.

Similar ceremonies were also held in other cities where Dr. Al- Turki inaugurated new mosques and Islamic centers. The ceremonies were attended by a number of scholars and other dignitaries and senior officials as well as leaders of religious groups.

Meanwhile in Birmingham, Dr. Al-Turki opened the 26th annual symposium for Islamic Da'wah and Guidance organized by Ahl Al-Hadith Central Society entitled "Islamic Call in the Western Society: Difficulties and Solutions" at the King Fahd Mosque - an affiliate of the society.

Dr. Al-Turki delivered a speech highlighting the importance of Islamic Da'wah and stressing the necessity to meet the challenges.

He said the MWL is concerned about coordination among Islamic societies and communities for upgrading their Islamic activities stressing that Muslims in those countries should abide by the rules and regulations and should execute their programs according to priorities.

Israeli army kills toddler, 5 others in Palestine

GAZA CITY - Three Palestinians, including a toddler, were killed on 13 October when Israeli forces dynamited a house in the Gaza Strip, while two Palestinian gunmen died in a shootout in southern Israel.

Palestinian medical sources said the three-year-old Tawfiq Bereka was killed by falling masonry as Israeli soldiers dynamited a nearby house with a charge so strong it destroyed his house and the one next door in Rafah, a battered border town that has been rocked by frequent raids recently.

Another 30 people were injured in the blast, set off by Israeli forces. Palestinian officials said 55 buildings were severely damaged by the blast.

A Palestinian woman was killed and two girls wounded on 13 October when an Israeli tank opened fire with a heavy machinegun on a taxi near the northern West Bank town of Jenin.

Earlier, another Palestinian was shot dead in the town as Israeli troops undertook searches in the area, using tanks and bulldozers. Four people were wounded by gunfire in the incursion. Later in the day, two Palestinians trying to break into Israel through the Egyptian border were intercepted and killed by Israeli forces.

Army radio said on 13 October that US Ambassador to Israel Dan Kurtzer had passed on a message to Sharon criticizing the former general for refusing to relieve conditions in the territories and stem the killing of civilians. After a Cabinet meeting on 13 October to mull the US demands Defense Minister Ben Eliezer said he was planning to revive a stalled plan whereby Israeli forces pull out of reoccupied towns if Palestinian police curb anti- Israeli attacks.

The plan was implemented successfully in Bethlehem and was due to continue in Gaza and Hebron, but collapsed amid renewed fighting in Gaza.

Israel tightens grip on Jenin

Meanwhile, Israel tightened its grip on Jenin on 26 October, scouring the battered West Bank city for Palestinian freedom-fighters responsible for bombings as a US peace mission wound down indecisively.

The Israeli army said it detained six Palestinians in and near Jenin. Hundred of troops backed by heavy armor rolled into Jenin on 25 October, commandeering buildings, searching homes and imposing curfews. The army drew fire from gunmen and also on the diplomatic front from the European Union, which urged restraint. Israeli military chiefs said the Jenin operation, dubbed "Vanguard", would last as long as necessary to flush out freedom-fighters waging a Palestinian uprising for independence with bombings.

Palestinian medics said six people were seriously wounded in clashes with the army-violence, which overshadowed the end of a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories by US envoy William Burns.

Burns, who flew to Yemen on 26 October, came with a "roadmap" for peace based on a Middle East policy speech last June by US President George W. Bush.

Palestinian Acting Labor Minister Ghassan Al-Khatib said on 26 October the peace plan was doomed to failure because of Israeli resistance and a lack of resolve on the part of Washington.

"The plan has no future because Israel will reject it and the United States is not ready to do anything to push it forward, and that is why the Palestinian position is irrelevant," he said.

Khatib ripped apart the US- backed plan for "dictating conditions on reform, including on the legislative elections and the nomination of a prime minister. All of this is internal Palestinian affairs. We reject such dictates." - Agencies

IN BRIEF

MWL condemns attack in Bali

MAKKAH - The Muslim World League (MWL), on 16 October, strongly condemned the Bali bomb blasts that killed 188 people and wounded 300 others as a "terrorist attack unacceptable to Islam".

"The terror attack carried out by terrorists in the Indonesian island of Bali is a crime not endorsed by Islam, which carries a message of mercy, tolerance and cooperation among nations," MWL Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki said.

"Muslims around the world reject acts of terror and call for fighting against it to rid humanity of this evil work," he said, adding the MWL aimed at promoting Islamic unity. He said violence and the murder of innocent people were acts strongly forbidden in Islam, which bars the killing of any human being regardless of race, creed or nationality without a conviction.

English-language Islamic channel  to start in Ramadhan

DUBAI - The world's first English-language Islamic satellite television channel, Al-Majd 2, would start broadcasting on the first day of Ramadhan, the fasting month.

"As the majority of the world's Muslims are non-Arabs we felt it was natural to launch this channel in English," said Wajdi Al-Ghazzawi, chief executive officer of Al- Majd 2.

"There are approximately 100 million satellite TV households across the Islamic world," Al-Ghazzawi said in a statement, adding that transmission will begin from studios in Dubai, Riyadh and Cairo.

Ramadhan is expected to begin in Saudi Arabia from 6 November. - AFP

WAMY establishes school  for orphans in Palestine

GAZA STRIP - The Al-Salah Charitable School is the first and the only such school in Gaza Strip, which had been established in particular for Palestinian orphans to meet their special needs with emphasis on religious, educational, cultural and health aspects in order to qualify them to play active role in the society.

The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) had contributed over SR190,000 to the establishment of this school. It is situated in the north of Deer Albalah in Gaza Strip. The school comprises four buildings, which encompasses 18 grades and 540 students representing primary, intermediate and secondary levels. It also comprises a mosque, a multi-purpose hall and a general library to benefit the student population and the community.

All services in this charitable school are rendered freely to the students, including education, transportation, school bags, books, stationeries, and school uniforms in addition to a bursary for all students. - Press Release

22 embrace Islam in Saudi Arabia

AL-HASSA (Saudi Arabia) - Twenty two foreigners of different nationalities, including males and females, in Al- Hassa province of Saudi Arabia have embraced Islam during last month at the hands of Da'wah workers. Eight of them were Filipinos and Indians, a Nepalese and 12 Sri Lankan women. Director of the Foreign Da'wah Office in Al-Hassa Abdur Rahman Al-Jugaiman urged the preachers to exert more efforts in inviting the peoples to the beliefs and teachings of Islam. - Al-Eqtisadia

Islam fastest growing religion in Australia

Ridwaan Jadwat

RIYADH - On Monday, 7 October, I had the honor to represent Australia and hundreds of thousands of Australian Muslims at the washing of the Holy Ka'bah ceremony in Makkah. It was the fourth time that I have been granted the privilege of entering the inner sanctum of the Ka'bah and performing prayers inside Islam's holiest site. It remains a vivid and deeply moving experience.

My invitation to Makkah and the warm welcome that I received from my Saudi hosts and diplomatic colleagues, represents a symbolic acknowledgment that Australia's cultural and religious diversity is recognized throughout the world.

Islam's presence in Australia predates European settlement. In the early 16th century, Makassan fishermen from the east Indonesian archipelago were the first Muslims to visit Australia and trade with the indigenous Aboriginal community. In the 19th century, Afghan Muslim camel drivers played an important role in the exploration and opening up of the interior of the Australian continent. Today, Islam is one of the fastest growing faiths in Australia, and the Muslims are a vital and integral part of the rich mosaic of Australian society.

In the past 25 years, the Australian Muslim community has significantly expanded. According to the 2001 census, the Muslim community constituted 281,578 people, an increase of 40 percent since the 1996 census and an overall rise of 91 percent in the last decade. And these figures may be very conservative. Some recent estimates suggest Australian Muslims now number between 350,000-450,000.

Australian Muslims are ethnically diverse and come from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Some 35 percent of Australian Muslims were born in Australia, and the rest immigrated to Australia from over 70 different countries, including Lebanon, Turkey, Indonesia and Bosnia- Herzegovina.

There are almost 100 mosques and over 20 Islamic schools in Australia. Reflecting the increasing recognition in Australia of the Islamic faith, Commonwealth and state governments have introduced flexible work hours on Fridays to make it easier for Muslim workers to attend a mosque and observe Jumu'ah prayers. Public streets are closed every year of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha to accommodate the tens of thousands of worshipers who attend Eid prayers at mosques, such as Lakemba Mosque in Sydney, home to Australia's largest Muslim congregation.

Islamic community centers, student associations, halal butchers and restaurants are found in every major city in Australia. The peak Islamic authority in Australia is the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), which is the umbrella organization of Islamic councils from Australia's various states and territories.

The Australian government has recently announced a partnership program with AFIC. The partnership will include employing a journalist to work with the media toward a better understanding of Islam and the Muslims in Australia, through facilitating informed and accurate reporting and producing information, articles, and media releases on Islam and Muslims.

Australian Muslims are doctors, lawyers, academics, diplomats, police officers, members of the defense force, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, and laborers. Muslims have contributed much to Australia's political, economic and social life, and have cemented their place in Australia's religious and cultural landscape.

They occupy an increasingly important place on the Australian public square, and are embracing opportunities to participate in a tolerant, inclusive and culturally diverse Australia.

(Ridwaan Jadwat is second secretary at the Australian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.)

Muslims attacked after Bali bombings

Meanwhile, arsonists threw a firebomb into a Melbourne mosque early on 17 October, the second attack on a mosque since the bombings in Bali, which killed scores of Australians, police said.

No one was injured but windows were smashed and carpets burned when the firebomb was thrown through the mosque window in East Doncaster before dawn, they said. The fire was put out by people who were in the building. The arsonists threatened further attacks against Muslims, a Muslim community leader said.

Mosque spokesman Nooruddin said the attackers also daubed anti-Islamic graffiti on the building. "There were threats like 'you get out or we'll be back again'," he said.

He said the entire Australian Muslim community was being blamed for the Bali bombing.

"It seems we are becoming the people who have to answer for the bad deeds of others," Nooruddin said. He said the mosque would now employ security guards.

On 5 October, an Islamic school and the home of an Imam in Sydney were attacked by stone-throwing vandals in an attack. - Agencies

(Qur'an, 2:183-84)

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it had been prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint - (fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But the one who will give more, of his own free will - it is better for him. And it is better for you that you fast if you only knew.