Jerusalem: In an attempt to set an example that different faith can co-exist, a Christian man, Nidal Aboud prayed along with Muslims at Friday prayer in Jerusalem.
During the prayer, he read Bible. When Muslims around him bowed, he made the sign of the cross and when Muslims said “Allahu Akbar”, he said, “God is greatest”.
A Christian man prays alongside Muslims outside the Old City of Jerusalem during mid-day prayers on Friday. pic.twitter.com/ixvdcpkNIY
— Oren Liebermann (@OrenCNN) July 23, 2017
In the video which went viral on social networking sites, he can be seen standing respectfully during the entire prayer.
Talking to media, Aboud who is 24-year-old Palestinian said that he had never joined Muslim prayer before. He also said that since his childhood, he dreams of spreading love across the world.
He further said that he took permission from Muslim friends to pray along with them as he wants to stand in solidarity with Muslim brothers against Israeli occupation.
He also urged all Christians to unite with Muslims and requested Jews to stand against Israeli occupation.
According to the news published in CNN, prayer took place after Israel put restrictions on the access to Masjid Al-Aqsa.
It may be mentioned that tensions have risen after Israeli police installed metal detectors at entrances to the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, following an attack nearby that killed two policemen. The move angered Palestinian and other Muslims who saw it as Israel asserting further control over the site.
On Saturday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s excessive use of force against Palestinians in East Jerusalem, urging an immediate end to its new restrictions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
The Arab League on Sunday accused Israel of “playing with fire” with new security measures at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site. “Jerusalem is a red line,” its chief Ahmed Abul Gheit said in a statement, adding that “no Arab or Muslim will accept violations” against the city’s holy sites.
Recently, Israel has decided to replace metal detectors with more advanced surveillance cameras at the entrance to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied East Jerusalem.