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Erasing Islam
Mosques are not safe
Israel
Al Ahmar Masjid dates from 1276 and is located in the Arab city of Safad. Described by historian Dr. Mustafa Abbasi as having ‘rare historical and architectural value’ the ancient mosque derives its name from the red stones it was built with. For nearly seven centuries the mosque was a magnet for worshippers. Muslims have been unable to pray in Al Ahmar Masjid since 1948, when Israeli forces captured Safad, driving out most of the city’s 12,000 Palestinian residents.
Since then Al Ahmar has served several purposes. Initially, it was used by Jewish gangs. Later the building became a school and a clothes warehouse. People tried for years to save the mosque. Khair Tabari, Secretary of the Safad and Tiberias Islamic Endowment, filed a lawsuit with documents proving Muslim ownership of the site but the case was ignored.
In 2019 Al Ahmar Masjid was turned into an events space, bar and nightclub. Al Jadid Masjid in Caesarea, Ayn Hawd Masjid in Haifa, and Al Siksik Masjid in Jaffa have all been similarly repurposed. Other mosques have been turned into restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and synagogues. Since 1948 Israel has destroyed over 530 Palestinian villages. The holy sites within those villages have been leveled, neglected, or refashioned.
