By Aaron Lerner 22 June 1999

[The Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron is the only intact Second
Temple Period structure.HEBRON DEPUTY MAYOR DWEIK ON PRAYER AT CAVE OF THE PATRIARCHS
By Aaron Lerner 22 June 1999

[The Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron is the only intact Second
Temple Period structure. A mosque, then a church and then again a
mosque were built using the walls of the structure]

IMRA interviewed Kamal Dweik, the deputy mayor of Hebron, in English,
on 22 June 1999:

IMRA: Yesterday some Jewish holy books were found defiled in Hebron.
Is there any Palestinian official response to this?

Dweik: This is the first time I heard about this matter. As Moslems,
Jews and Christians we pray to one God. Nobody would do these bad
things to holy books. I do not think that this information is true.

IMRA: What is the situation now in the Mosque of Ibrahim (Cave of
the Patriarch). Are both Jews and Moslems praying there now?

Dweik: After the massacre by Baruch Goldstein in the Ibrahim Mosque
they divided the mosque into two parts: one part for the Moslems and
one part for the Jews. On holidays the entire mosque is for the
Moslems on the Moslem holidays and for the Jews on Jewish holidays.

The situation is not right. We refuse this thing and we hope to
change this idea because who did the massacre? Goldstein, and who
pays for these bad things? The Moslems.

IMRA: What do you expect there to be in the future?

Dweik: It is a mosque, not a synagogue. It will be open to all
visitors. It will not be divided. It is a mosque. Not a church.
Not a synagogue. It is a mosque. It will be returned to being a
mosque and the Jews who want to visit the mosque are welcome.

IMRA: Visit but not pray.

Dweik: Look, Jewish prayer would mean that it is a synagogue. But it
will be open for those wishing to visit the holy places.

IMRA: Under Islamic laws a Jews cannot pray in a mosque?

Dweik: For Jews to pray in a mosque would mean that it is changed
into a synagogue. And we refuse this thing. But to visit the Tomb of
Avraham and the others, as visitors, that's OK.

IMRA: You would expect that if the Mosque of Ibrahim came under
Palestinian control that it would be only a mosque.

Dweik: It would only be a mosque. At no time was it a synagogue. At
no time in the last thousand years. It is not a synagogue, it is a
mosque. But for anyone wanting to visit it as a holy place:
welcome.

IMRA: Would you expect there to be a set up again for the Jews to
pray outside the building?

Dweik: Before 1948 the Jews were praying outside. Nobody said no.
But to pray inside the mosque would mean changing the mosque into a
synagogue.

IMRA: So we will go back to that arrangement?

Dweik: Yes.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-9-7411645
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
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