CAIRO, March 23, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – A host of Arab Muslim and Christian intellectuals has called for the establishment of a Christian-Muslim strategy with the goal of restoring Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem), through an international Islamic-Christian cooperation, in the face of the real enemy, represented in the international Zionist movement.

The call came during a forum organized Tuesday, March 22, by the “Program of Dialogue Among Civilizations”, affiliated to Cairo University. Participants included members of the “Arab Team for Islamic-Christian Dialogue”, formed in 1996 following an initiative by Arab Muslim and Christian thinkers.

Head of the Arab team, Lebanese judge Abass Al-Halabi, addressed the forum, entitled “Future of Al-Quds cause in light of ongoing developments”, stressing the fact that the Arab city was now under the greatest risk ever, citing Israeli attempts to completely judaise it.

“The city is on its way to be completely lost after the failure of all attempts to save it so far”.

Al-Halabi, meanwhile, attributed the failure to preserve the Arab identity of Al-Quds to “lack of benefiting from Arab Christans’ efforts and absence of serious coordination with international Christian bodies over Al-Quds cause”.

Muslim Egyptian thinker and member of the Arab Team, Dr. Mohamed Salim Al-Awa, for his part, insisted Al-Quds cause “would never die as Israel thinks” as long as they are people seeking their rights.

Al-Awa referred, in this regard, to the Crusaders’ occupation of Al-Quds for almost a centuray before Arabs regained it under the great leader Saladin.

Al-Awa then reviewed some points highlighted at “Al-Quds”, a book by Lebanese political thinker Mohamed Al-Samak, on top of which the fact that the Palestinian resistance was not enough for the preservation of the Arab identity of Al-Quds.

On the importance of Christian existence in Al-Quds, Al-Awa said, “It is highly dangerous for Al-Quds Christians to leave it as they will not be allowed back in (by Israel).

“Their sanctuaries will thus be deserted, giving Israel the chance to eradicate them. Israel has partially managed to do that actually. In 1948, Christians were about 25,000, currently that number shrank to only 8,000.”

Al-Awa further warned against separating religion and politics in handling Al-Quds cause, citing Israel’s relentless efforts to employ all religious aspects to get what it wants out of this case.

“This necessitates communication with the western Christian world to set up a joint strategy,” Al-Samak said.

On his part, Al-Samak emphasized the urgency of giving up on the common mistake of considering Al-Quds as an Islamic issue only, adding it must be approached as an Islamic-Christian cause that surpasses the borders of the Arab world.

“This necessitates communication with the western Christian world to set up a joint strategy, especially with the often-unseen bridge between the Muslim and Christian worlds; that is the Arab Christians.

“That bridge is based on two foundations. The first is for the Muslim world to realize Christianity is not a threat to it. Second is the Muslim-Christian relation in the Arab world.”

Al-Samak added that Arab Christians need to practice their full rights as citizens to be able to play their role in establishing an Islamic-Christian strategy to save Al-Quds.

The same thing was affirmed by Egypt’s former Assistant Foreign Minister, Nabil Badr, expressed concern over the disintegration of Al-Quds issue, through shutting off its Christian inhabitants, as well as dealing with it merely as a land dispute, as Israel wants.

The Arab Team for Islamic-Christian Dialogue was established in 1996 in Cairo and has since held a series of meeting under the banner, “Muslims and Christians together for Al-Quds”.

Among the figures pf the Team are Al-Awa, Tariq Al-Bishri from Egypt, Lebanese thinker Hani Fahs and priest Riad Gargour, the Team’s Secertary-general.

Palestinian experts have always warned against Israeli plans to drive Palestinian citizens away from occupied Al-Quds under pretexts of development, saying the Jewish state’s real motive is striking a demographic balance between in the overwhelmingly Palestinian city.