The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, as President of the Conference, has been empowered to-day by the Moslem World Conference now meeting in Jerusalem, to protest to the League of Nations against the decision of the International Wailing Wall Commission which was appointed by the British Government with the approval of the League of Nations to determine the rights and claims of Jews and Moslems at the Wailing Wall.
The Grand Mufti has also been empowered to inform all Moslem rulers and notables that the Conference regards with execration the present position of the Moslem shrines in Palestine under the terms of the Mandate.
A boycott in all Moslem countries against Palestine Jewish products as a means of protecting the Mosque el Aqsa (Mosque of Omar) from Jewish encroachment was proclaimed by the Conference to-day in adopting a resolution moved by Hobamed Ali, former Egyptian Minister of Wakfs. If the Jews in Palestine succeed in developing their industry, the resolution argues, they will be able to acquire more land in the country, and thus may even menace the Mosque itself, so that the boycott weapon must be used as a check to further Jewish progress.
The Wailing Wall as being an integral part of the Haram-esh-Sherif is manifestly Moslem property, but it is not a Moslem sacred shrine, and so far as it is known the pavement in front of the Wall has never been a place for Moslem prayers, the League of Nations International Wailing Wall Commission declared in its report published in June, adding a note in which it stated that it was “unanimous in its pronouncements and decisions”.
According to the terms of its appointment, the verdict of the Wailing Wall Commission was to be final and to admit of no appeal.
Before the Moslems oppose the verdict, they may usefully reflect that whatever their views as to the competence of the Commission, they have in all essentials won their case, the London “Times” wrote in an editorial when the verdict was published, and the “Manchester Guardian” in an editorial, like- wise found that as “it happens the decisions of the Wailing Wall Commission are mostly in favour of the Moslem contentions”.
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