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Last update - 19:31 08/04/2008 Galilee Arabs paint mosque blue and white for Israel's 60th By Haaretz Service Tags: Arab Israelis, A-Taibeh In an unusual gesture of solidarity for Israel's 60th anniversary, villagers in one Arab-Israeli town have have painted the dome of their mosque in the national colors, blue and white. The gesture in A-Taibeh, a village in the Galilee near the Gilboa, comes at a time when Arab-Jewish relations in the region have been marked by tensions, and many Israeli Arabs have vowed to boycott the anniversary celebrations and commemorations. "We are residents of Israel. Our religion encourages love and closeness among nations. Jews, Muslims, we are all cousins, right?" A-Taibeh Mayor Hisham Zuabi was quoted as telling Maariv newspaper. Advertisement "We decided to paint the mosque's dome, the most important, dear, and holy site for us, in the national colors. We are all citizens of the state of Israel. As far as we are concerned, there is no difference here between Jews, Muslims, and Christians." A-Taibeh, which sits adjacent to the moshav Moledet, has a population of about 2,000. Its newly decorated mosque has been in existence for decades. Zuabi was quoted as saying that village residents don't fear criticism or threats because of their decision. Instead, they hope it will serve to unite Arabs and Jews. "The goal is purification, coexistence," said Zoabi. "A Jew who enters the mosque will not feel hostility, but rather will feel at home." Bookmark to del.icio.us   'No good Jewish men' Author David Seidman delves into the dark side of dating, and confesses: 'I am a bad Jew.' Remembrance trail Holocaust memorial steam-drawn train sparks bitter row in Berlin.   1.   Nice to see 14:50  |  danalogue 08/04/08   2.   Nice to see 14:52  |  danalogue 08/04/08   3.   Praise God!!! Isn`t it a wonderful thing when people praise God 15:01  |  for your actions? 08/04/08   4.   Heartwarming! 15:07  |  A Mother 08/04/08   5.   A lovely gesture! 15:14  |  Zion 08/04/08   6.   God bless you 15:21  |  A Christian in Swede 08/04/08   7.   The right way with God support 15:22  |  Abu Yusuf 08/04/08   8.   Jewish-Arab relations in Israel 15:29  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 08/04/08   9.   Mixing religion & politics 15:32  |  Observer 08/04/08   10.   WOW!WOW!WOW! HOT STUFF!!! 15:33  |  Nechama 08/04/08   11.   I don`t know this village... 15:54  |  Dmitri 08/04/08   12.   Wonderful 15:55  |  Mrs. G 08/04/08   13.   My profound thanks 16:04  |  gabriel 08/04/08   14.   please take note everyone 16:06  |  george 08/04/08   15.   Will Jews now reciprocate? 16:13  |  Mark Marshall 08/04/08   16.   THEY`RE COUNTING THEIR BLESSINGS... 16:16  |  Ian 08/04/08   17.   Thank you with all my heart 16:17  |  SA 08/04/08   18.   Wonderful 16:21  |  Avi 08/04/08   19.   Thank you Mayor Zoabi 16:34  |  Purple Canary 08/04/08   20.   Great news 16:41  |  SystemF 08/04/08   21.   Goodwill 16:45  |  Stas 08/04/08   22.   What a beautiful and fearless gesture 16:52  |  Akiva P 08/04/08   23.   It is rare today to see such love Yaakov did you read this?/ 17:06  |  Robert/Montreal 08/04/08   24.   blue/white dome 17:18  |  Joe Kislowicz 08/04/08   25.   Traitor under duress 17:33  |  Azzam 08/04/08   26.   This is cool, nice, good 17:44  |  Mark B. 08/04/08   27.   Mark Marshall Tekoah is still Part of Israel 17:55  |  Robert/Montreal 08/04/08   28.   Mark #12, only when Pal state with Jews is established 17:56  |  Noam 08/04/08   29.   Congratulations! 17:56  |  Sam 08/04/08   30.   #25 Azzam Shazam sez 17:58  |  Robert/Montreal 08/04/08   31.   Jews displaying flags of their country of residence 17:59  |  Noam 08/04/08   32.   #21 Stas I agree Israel should do something in this recognition 18:01  |  Robert/Montreal 08/04/08   33.   MABRUK, MABRUK! CITIZENS OF A-Taibeh 18:14  |  dovale 08/04/08   34.   Which village? In W.Bank? In Galilee? In Lebanon 18:19  |  Silkey 08/04/08   35.   God bless major Hisham Zuabi and A-Taibeh. 18:19  |  Fortuna Benmayor 08/04/08   36.   See article in Haaretz from 2006- same village- diff location 18:22  |  Silkey 08/04/08   37.   I don`t believe it till I see it 18:28  |  amigo 08/04/08   38.   #25`s lies 18:31  |  Ben - Africa 08/04/08   39.   Hope more Pals & Israelis see themselves as cousins & not rivals 19:00  |  anti-racist 08/04/08   40.   Great to read /// Where`s a photo? 19:07  |  Gina 08/04/08   41.   Beautiful Gesture, but 5 years too early. 19:13  |  Sadiq M 08/04/08   42.   Love works, and hatred doesn`t 19:14  |  B (The other one) 08/04/08   43.   amazing- we need equality 19:15  |  Israeli 08/04/08   44.   Paint mosque blue and white for Israels big 60 - Thats super cool 19:43  |  Haldrik 08/04/08   45.   That is a nice gesture 19:57  |  KUTW 08/04/08   46.   15. Mark Marshall: The Israeli Jews are in their country 20:01  |  KUTW 08/04/08   47.   we must respond positively & encourage such by israeli jews,arabs 20:04  |  ralph 08/04/08   48.   TO NO 10 20:05  |  DANNY. 08/04/08   49.   brave people in that town good job 20:12  |  TAZ 08/04/08   50.   to azzam 20:12  |  real vision 08/04/08   51.   lovely gesture 20:18  |  Mary 08/04/08   52.   Lets hopethe radicals don`t pick on them 20:31  |  Scharker Yid 08/04/08   53.   46 KUTW 20:34  |  Phil 08/04/08   54.   Are the Tremors in the Ground causing the Arabs to lose thie nerv 20:49  |  Shaking ground 08/04/08   55.   We are BROTHERS not cousins 20:58  |  Jeff 08/04/08   56.   This is a town I would visit. 21:04  |  David 08/04/08   57.   #41 Sadiq M 21:09  |  Moshe 08/04/08   58.   Well he`s right about one thing 21:13  |  Rav Harley 08/04/08   59.   astonishingly beautiful -- bless you and thank you, friends! 21:34  |  frenz 08/04/08   60.   Love to Our Israeli Arab Patriots 21:41  |  Jane 08/04/08   61.   Phil Tekoa is Israel 21:45  |  Robert/Montreal 08/04/08   62.   Any picture taken? 21:54  |  Would love to see 08/04/08   63.   Don`t print this Haaretz 09:32  |  The Archives 09/04/08   64.   Don`t print this Haaretz 09:55  |  Refer earlier Email 09/04/08   65.   THE TRUTH IS... 10:12  |  Arab DRUZE MUSLIM 09/04/08   66.   #63 10:19  |  Arab DRUZE MUSLIM 09/04/08   67.   Hamas just wants to mess around 20:43  |  KUTW 10/04/08   68.   Peace be upon all of Abraham`s children! 07:36  |  Adam 13/04/08

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