Muslim leaders to abandon plans for Ground Zero community center

Let them build their mosque in one of their own Islamic lands. And may the majority of followers depart the USA and Canada. Islamic values in critical mass don't belong in Christian/Judaic countries. They have their share of the planet, we will retain ours.

GREAT NEWS!!! NO MOSQUE THERE!! RATS!

Arabic does not = muslim.

who don't oppose triumphalist guided tours of the Ground Zero worshiping those who sacrificed their lives in the fight against infidel America so why should they walk away now when the victory is so close? I'm sure this news will be quickly denied.

Too soon after 9/11 for a Mosque near Ground Zero. There is a time and place for most things and this is just too soon, the wound is too raw. Muslims should be more sensitive.

it would be the victory for fundamentalists - Muslim, Christian, Jewish

Even if the centre is built or not this won't stop the Believers from offering prayers whether it be at an Islamic centre or near the Ground zero itself This is what I call FREEDOM!!

Yes you did 78 and we are pleased with your decision.

I think that the community center and the mosque should be built and be called : "The Osama Bin Laden Center of victory"

Thank God -- some good news for a change....can only pray this is the real deal.....what a horrible idea in the first place A 9/11 family member

Opposition to the mosque was never about the legality of it regardless of Obama's statement of the ridiculously obvious. People are guaranteed their right to practice their religion freely. That being said, there is a HUGE difference between being legally able to do something and whether or not you should do something. The building was close enough to GZ that the landing gear of one of the planes as well as body parts fell on it's roof. That entire area is sacred ground to a majority of Americans, let alone the surviving family members of the victims. Almost 3 thousand people were murdered that day, and America has not forgotten why it occurred. As to the Cordoba Group, to me their chance to show compassion and understanding would have been when they started this project. If this really was to build bridges, the time to start building was with the planning of the thing. Showing compassion with their planning would have gone a long way towards healing raw wounds. But that isn't what happened. This isn't about racism, Islam is not a race. It isn't about Islam per se, ti's about the fact that fundamentalist Islamists committed mass murder in that area, which is undisputed. That might be uncomfortable for innocent Muslims to deal with, but it's the truth. Putting a mosque so close to the site when the memorial hasn't even been built yet, is too much for a majority of Americans. If you are one of those people spewing perjorative rhetoric, like calling people bigots and racists, then all you've got is name calling. Your negative words don't make that true. And if you really are a people of peace and compassion, then start acting peaceful and compassionate. Now would be good. I fully support this group to build their mosque anywhere that they want to. Just not at the base of the former twin towers. Can't deal with those feelings? Too bad. Your friends, family and countrymen weren't the ones murdered that day. This time, the whole 'we're going to act oppressed and sensitive' thing doesn't apply to you. You have no moral high ground in this situation. That belongs to the people of America. It was our tragedy, our people, and what we want to do in our country is our business. I have no idea if the above story is true or false. I have no idea if the mosque will or will not be built. I just know that the idea of it at that location shows bad manners, poor taste and is completely tone deaf to the feelings of the people who live there.

A peaceful park. Where everyone can come pay they're respects. Why should one group be allowed to build over another? Everyone's accusing other's for the lack of "tolerance". It's not as the Muslims have too few of Mosques. I haven't heard one person who opposes the Mosque deny the Muslims right to freedom of religion. If a Synague or Christian church were to be built. It would be WW III. People would be angry.

exactly,if this is true,way to go obumo,who cares that muslums killed americans on 911 near where they want their mosque,we know where obumo stood on this- Sarah palin was right,obumo doesnt have cajones-

Some victims' families say the Islamic center would pervert the mood at Ground Zero, but two blocks from what Mr. Obama called "hallowed ground" are a number of businesses - strip joints, stores selling X-rated DVD's - striking a far different tone than the families want. (CBS) Including pictures: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/16/eveningnews/main6778899.shtml

I will believe it when I see it. Watch the other hand.

They really should build this mosque and dedicate it to the memory of the hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis that died because of an illegal war. You want sensitivity? Where's the sensitivity towards all the "collateral damage"? a-holes.

Democracy wins.

All we ask is one lunch break a month. Civil Disobedience time!!

This was a bad idea to start with, and it has had the effect of waking up Americans about islamic intentions. There are some lessons to be taken in this situation. First, islam is a malevolant force, not a religion. Second, muslims need to be ejected from western countries as they are not compatible with western society. Third, all westerners need to confront muslims in all of their plans and stop their plan of worldwide conquest. Fourth, any politician that cooperates with muslims in any way needs to be removed from office as a threat to our culture. Five, Obama is an obvious muslim, and he has got to go along with his socialist agenda. Sixth, it is time for the world to realize that the main issue threatening world freedom is islam, and get to grips dealing with it now. If you look at all of the fights going on around the world, one party is almost invariably muslim. If this realization outrages them, fine. They are less than 20% of the world population, and are not to be allowed to wag the dog. If all of the other 80% get outraged, they may just have a survival problem....

True, the Mosque at the WTC will not be built, but it has absolutely nothing to do with any Muslim sense of appeasement or sensitivity. Fact is, those qualities do not exist in Islam (any more than the expressions "Life's too short" and "Live and let live"). The chances of this Mosque being built near the WTC were less than 50/50 to begin with. After all, half of the building is owned by the Con Edison utility company. Furthermore, there was never a chance of raising $100,000.000 from 'legitimate' sources, and no construction company would dare risk its reputation and future earnings by building such a travesty. But, what put the final nails in the coffin were the statements by our Muslim-in-Chief and Hamas. What a difference three days makes. Prior to Friday, the mainstream media was mostly silent on this issue, and (let's face it) most Americans are politically brain dead. But now that the issue has been brought to the mainstream headlines, common sense will, thankfully, prevail. Thank you Obama and Hamas. Your islamist idiocy has finally paid off. And just to show that we Americans don't harbor any ill feelings to the Muslims, we should offer (read "demand") to build a mega-church and mega-synagogue in Mecca and Medina (as a "bridge-building" gesture, of course).

If the muslims have the right to a mosque at Ground Zero, I want the right to race hogs around that same mosque every Friday night!! ( Richard Schulze)

Of all the shrill remarks those in favor of this insulting mosque idea can come up with, there is not one word about who is financing it for fear the lid would really be blown off.

Twenty years ago I made the difficult decision of declining letters of acceptance from NYU Law. Instead, I went to Canada in Law School and stayed here after school. [I knew I was giving up a large amount of money by staying in Canada. But my heart overuled my head. The manner in which the US public and "intelligencia" have dealt with the New York mosque makes it clear that my heart was right. During his campaign, President Obama spoke about America as "the shining city on the Hill". Well, the shine is tarnished today.

After all the fuss, I'm going to guess nothing short of an act of God will prevent that center from being built. To move it would look like cowardice in the face of controversy, something Americans (regardless of religious belief) tend to disapprove of. So by making it into a gigantic international issue, the center's opponents have ensured its construction!

Firstly: this story is probably not true (you know, having no named sources whatsoever and not being picked up anywhere else). Secondly: constitution says they can build it where ever the hell they want, longs as they are in accordance with local regs, and an islamic cultural center would hopefully spread some understanding where there is very obviously a lack of it. Thirdly: G-0 mosque? its 2-3 block away, and cant be seen from G-0. nice straw man argument. I'll toss it in the pile with the other logical fallacies that have been presented in this farce. And lastly: Those who are against this mosque (and many who have posted here) are under the impression that the followers of Islam can be lumped together into one basket. this is absolutely not true. perhaps visiting an Islamic Cultural Center of some kind will help you with your irrational ideas?

Islam is a religion built on conquest and murder. The only Muslims that do not advocate the oppression of "infidels" are those that ignore the very clear call to do so in the Qur'an. You can call this statement bigoted if you wish and, to be fair I freely admit that I am, but it doesn't change the truth. Moderate Muslims are simply those that are unwilling to embrace the unyielding truth of Islam for fear of the inconvenience of it. My bigotry is based on a track record of watching "Extremist" Muslims murder innocent people, while the "Moderates" sit back, do nothing and silently approve of the horrors inflicted on innocent people (especially Jews) by their psychopathic brethren. It is clear based on their choice of location of this mosque that they understand the significance of the location, the proposed name and do all but proclaim their intent to celebrate a "great Islamic victory" over the Great Satan.

I have been reading a lot of comments about American values. American values came from Europe and we all know how tolerant the Europeans are. No one knows more about American values than the tribes who lived here when we arrived.

If it's true that they have decided not to build there, and I've already heard that this news flash was denied (which speaks volumes about Haaretz's fact checking), I'm torn between their Constitutional rights and the days I sat with my mouth open in front of the TV, unable to move or to think, totally catatonic, disbelieving my own eyes. I say it goes to motive and since 9/11, frankly, I haven't been aware of any Islamic motives that were positive.

The whole affare was premeditated and designed to harass Americans. What is the reason to back off?

This is indeed appeasement. One is reminded of Munich and, of course, that assigns a very unpleasant role to right-wing America. If the shoe fits...

This comes from 'Sources in NY'? When the announcement comes from those who are responsible for this travesty, I'll believe it. Until then, I'll assume this is just another newspaper trying to sell their rag.

Good.

I'm sorry but I really struggle to believe a sentient human being came some of the things written here. Just as there are idiots like the KKK and Westboro Baptist Church in the Christian faith (who are totally unrepresentative of others of their faith), the same also goes for Islam. Admittedly their extremism often goes a bit further than Christianity's does these days, but placed alongside the crimes committed under the banner of Christianity over history, it's hardly fair to denounce the whole faith as savage and 'primitive'. In my opinion, organised faith in general is responsible for the repeated retardation of the advancement of the human race, but my opinion is neither here nor there. Over 20 Muslims died in 9/11 (and no, that does not include the terrorists). Are they not allowed to respect their dead? When atrocities occur in far flung countries, whose inhabitants are not necessarily christians, does the Christian church not readily offer their prayers? Would any of you Christians think twice if missionaries set up a church at the site of said atrocity? Is it so hard to believe that another faith is capable of being so altruistic? Admittedly the circumstances are slightly different, the terrorists being Muslims, but are you people so thick-skulled that you can't conceive of other Muslims who don't condone terrorism? You people should get a grip. Cat Stevens doesn't want to mock your grief.

If it is, its a sad day for democracy

One can detect another factor explaining the opposition to the building of the Mosque near (not at) the site of 9/11, one that is not at all connected with what happened there almost a decade ago. It is a fear of what is culturally different and strange and an inability on the part of many people in a society to countenance difference. In a community with which I am very familiar, a mosque was established some years ago, several years before that terrorist attack in New York City, and existed incognito. There was no sign on the house where Moslems met for prayer indicating that it is a mosque, out of fear that the society in which they resided would not tolerate them and would perhaps vandalize them. Children, especially, sometimes act out of a fear of what they are not familiar with, and some children never grow up, continuing to see what is different as threatening. Many have made reference to this or that verse in the Koran or charged that Moslems do not see others as human beings. Honesty would have us recognize that in every tradition and every Scripture there are multiple voices, often contradictory voices, and every tradition unfortunately shares, to some extent, in a view of the world in which the other, the one who is different, is seen as subhuman. We must go beyond that trait in all our traditions in favor of being able to see the humanity in the other.

They're going to name it "Dialog"...they're building Dialog

I'm not a muslim, but believe you have every right to build this center wherever you'd like. Please don't give in to the bigotry.

If those extremists were Catholic, Christian, Baptist or Jewish would people be making a big deal if someone wanted to put up a church or temple? Or is it the fear and bigotry that was pushed on them?

They are going to build it and said the story is false that they have changed where it will be built.

The mosque should not be built altogether.

see ya

The issue is not the right of people to build religious centers of their choice in the US. The issue is the treatment of a US historical site. We do not build shopping centers on the battlefield at Gettysburgh. The responsible result would be to define a historical zone around the World Trade Center site, so that there would be no doubt about who could build what, and where.

There is no way this story is true. The Muslims will snake their way into the site and this will be the first step to implementing Sharia in the US.

Seventh Century Primitives who are taught that infidels are not human and may be killed at will should not build memorials to murderers who kill in the name of their faith on the very burial grounds of the thousands fo dead. How tone deaf to humanity does one have to be that stupidly offensive. Let me build a Cathedral in Mecca. Then maybe I woun't feel so bad about having allowed thousands of mosques to be built all across America before now.

He likes it so much, tear down his office building and build the mosque there. It certainly won't reflect any less on his "commitment" to Yiddishkeit.

Score One For America!!!

The owner of the property where the Mosque could be build said: "Every thing is on track, we move forward with our plan for building the Mosque". He was questioned on the Haaretz report to abandon the plannimg.

The Muslims behind this "mosque business" are either horrifically insensitive or spiritually complicit in the 9/11 attacks. I suspect it's a little of both, and now President Obama has thrown in his lot with them. This has NOTHING to do with "religious freedom." It has EVERYTHING to do with sensitivity, respect and good faith. The Muslims pushing this mosque project, AND President Obama, are horrifically insensitive, they totally lack respect for others and are acting wholly in bad faith.

yes I am sad for the seemingly endless capacity for shortsightedness and lack of critical thinking among my countrymen. they seem bamboozled and led by the nose every time. look around, this land and its foundations in law are not meant for you and you alone, but your neighbors as well. at the bare minimum the law of the land demands we show tolerance to one another. you may find yourself in the minority one day. a sad day as well for obama who gained a little respect from me for his original statement.

I'm sorry that so many of my fellow "believers" and Americans have stooped to the level of denying your right to worship. I grew up believing in American values, and I've seen so many of them stomped on and trashed both during the Bush administration and continuing into now. I pray that despite the sometimes major differences in our faiths we will continue to live in brotherhood and that these wounds on both sides will be healed, by the Grace of God, inshallah. Peace be upon you, Jacob

Join us Sept 11/2010 WTC N.Y.C 1;pm rally with featured speaker Geert Wilders, and many other speakers. Defeat the mosque..STOP SHARIA! The Ideology of Islam must GO!

yes I am sad for the seemingly endless capacity for shortsightedness and lack of critical thinking among my countrymen. they seem bamboozled and led by the nose every time. look around, this land and its foundations in law are not meant for you and you alone, but your neighbors as well. at the bare minimum the law of the land demands we show tolerance to one another. you may find yourself in the minority one day. a sad day as well for obama who gained a little respect from me for his original statement.

IF -- a big IF -- this is true, my guess is that many people who were opposed to this will have a profound respect for the Muslim leaders AND that will bring about a sense of community, respect and brotherhood/sisterhood across all religions. The path to peace is through respect...that path to dignity is through service in God's name.

See the mosque's official Twitter account at @Park51.

Huh, one instance where Presidential appeasement may have worked.

Wow, that would be a great outcome - whatever the REAL motivation . Were they to be gracious at least in public, respecting the intense grief of the residents of NY and the families and friends of the murdered, it would be a win-win.

Park51: Official: Reports by Haaretz are completely false. We are committed to plans of building Park 51 to serve the community of Lower Manhattan. Park51: We are also deeply thankful to the President of the United States and the Mayor of New York City for their support. Park51: Official: Hamas does not and will not speak for Park51. Our mission is one of peace, understanding, tolerance and faith. Park51: On a side note, if Haaretz likes publishing fables, perhaps they could go back to the Yiddish ones with parables #welikethosebetter

Too soon, after 9/11 for Muslims to build a Mosque, near Ground Zero. Not a good idea.

Now it is time for us Americans to express our deepest thanks to Muslim leaders for re-considering their decision, in the spirit of good will.

I hope the report is true. This building would have been continuously unpopular wih the public and it will do more good to be in a less uncomfortable position. Common sense has prevailed.

Not to build it there in the first place.

I hope this isn't true. We shouldn't give in to hysterics or to fascists determined to keep America and Muslims in perpetual conflict.

According to our local media, the developer never owned the entire site to begin with; the local utility company reportedly owns a large part of the parcel. That being the case, who would take the financial risk to build? Of course, a scaled back project is always possible. How large does an institution dedicated to cross- cultural understanding need to be to be effective in its mission? Unless, that was not really its mission to begin with...

I wrote in blog - building a mosque at ground 0 is the same as erecting a monument of Hitler at Dachau or Auschwitz. Obama got to go at Sunday history school, overall this guy needs to learn a lot. Unfortunately there is no time for losers - November is knocking on the door.

The story is written in definite language, as if it is a fait accompli, but the only sources are entirely anonymous: "Sources in New York"; "several people familiar with the debate among New York's Islamic activists." I'm not a journalist, but is this really enough to go on to publish a story?

Muslim, but I think it would be horrible to abandon the planned center. Every time we capitulate to the extremists and the intolerant we lose some of what makes America great...our freedom of religion in this case. I say maintain your plans, make it a center for interdenominational dialog, PROVE THE HATERS AND EXTREMISTS wrong buy your actions.

I'll believe this if/when I see it reported elsewhere...

Thus far, nobody in the US media has picked this up. Congrats Haaretz. This will be devastating to Republican campaign plans to use the Community Center swimming pool at a wedge campaign issue.

There it is in one word: "appeasement" Not good will. Not shared human understanding. Not mandated respect for other faiths. "appeasment' and "back down" Amazing that you did not include the worrd surrender. The editors of Haaretz indicate a shared gift with the religious right to phrase things in the most insulting way possible!

...according to web blogs coming in as of now, 5:05 PM EDT

Obama said that when he went on record backing the center, he meant only that it was the right of every religious group to establish its own places of worship

absolutely disgusting. there are protests all around the country this week to protest mosques being built ANYWHERE for those delusional enough to believe that this is really about ground zero.

there is WAY too many mosque's in u.s. and europe.

A correct moral decision at the end of the day, but it doesn't disguise the massive Islamaphobia in the US at the moment. Popular sentiment seems to be that anyone who is Muslim is a potential terrorist. Political figures aren't helping the situation with declarations that Islam is a religion of violence. US declarations demonizing Islam at the same time as US military action in Muslim countries is a recipe for suffering and death.

Fantastic... if true!

call it what it really is, an alien PR presence sponsored by a totalitarian foreign government and do it after we rebuild the WTC site and give it a few years, then go ahead, knock yourselves out. Build it. I hope its all Vermont marble, crystal and gold doorknobs, persian carpets! like a Saudi palace. Our American moslem citizens deserve a great place to meet, study, worship, kibbits, nosh, lectures, etc, But that's not what this proposal is about. Its like that new clock in SA that looks a lot like London's Big Ben! or the empty skyscraper in UAE. Userpacious architectual propoganda by totalitarian regimes; like Hitler's new Berlin buildings, while the people starved.

Give on this and it's just the first step. Next is no new mosques in NYC. Then Tennessee. Then Wisconsin. Then California. These are all states where right-wingers are trying to stop the building of mosques. They will not stop until they get what they want, or until they lose. They are a greater threat to America than bin Laden.

I knew her altruism had its limits . What about Soros and J Street ?

The strategy here is to play the "take away" game. They are simply saying this now to show the public they're willing to look "tolerant" in a gesture of respect. This is simply in the hopes of having certain people in the public reverse their opposition to it, where people will start thinking "look how respectful they're being in how they're considering not building it, maybe we've been too hard on them, maybe they should indeed continue onwards in building it".. This is total reverse psychology and if the public buys into this tactic it just shows how naive we are as the public.

As a New Yorker, a liberal, and as someone who supports the right of women to be educated, to drive a car, and the right of the homosexual to have carnal pleasures in private and public, I support this move. For this, I will refrain from drawing my daily caricature of Mohammed, the leader of Islam. For one day, this little picture ( @:-) allah! ) shall be omitted from my notebook. PEACE

Interesting approach, first create nuisance, freak public out big time, after that say never mind as a greatest act of generosity and good will. Amazing.

Yessir. That's what this country is all about.

I say DONT move it! It should be built as planned!!!

In my opinion, the only issue here is time. Imagine the WTC would have been rebuild, and rebuild instantly. With full force .. the same thing. Twin Towers, but 1 story higher (containing a memorial for the lost). A mosque close by afterward? Sure. Why not? That would have been a sign to the whole Islamic world which would have blown all those extremists away ... like "see .. you are nothing but murderes". But .. "would" .. "could" ... I told all my friends about my hope that the WTC will be rebuild fast .. really fast .. the Mosque would have been the "cherry on the cake", thrown into the face of extremist terrorist jihadist murderes of innocent people. It is sad to see today's drama about that mosque. If they decide to abadon plans building it .. i hope everyboy stays calm. Anyway .. time .. time was the factor .. it's like about 10 years .. in that time everywhere in the world structures have been build. I feel sad

I have friends who are devastated by the 'mosque at 9/11', both Jews and gentiles. They have totally lost all respect for Obama, Bloomberg, Weiner, Nadler and Shumer. This one issue will reverberate in the next election more than they can imagine. Yours is the first indication to this "fact". I will believe it when I see it in a second source like al-jazeera about equal.

His naivete has surfaced again. He actually did not say anything wrong that should have required such an abrupt reversal. Acting on his instincts he waded in a hot political issue and said perhaps a little too much where he should have been a bit more discrete. Realizing that this could cause huge damage in the November polls, he quickly back-paddled and now looks disingenuous. He should have just clarified that this issues is best debated at a local level and leave it at that. Now he is reaching to his Muslim friends to put a stake through the entire affair. So much for the promise of clean, transparent government.

Although I supported building the mosque on the site 2 blocks from Ground Zero, I cannot help but be touched and grateful for this magnanimous gesture by our Muslim American brothers and sisters. I think it will go far in encouraging mutual understanding and brotherhood. Most heartfelt thanks from one American to another.

Some sense from the muslims after all. Some of them apparently really do want peace.

"abandoning the site is preferable to unleashing a wave of bitterness towards Muslims." From people who were already bitter toward Muslims.

The concept of power can make a man a fickle hypocrite.

Giving up the WTC location for a mosque is the first logical thing I have ever heard a muslim say.