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Israel ordered original Arabic names of all signs on Palestinian areas under occupation since 1948 to be turn into Hebrew language in an attempt to erase Palestinian identity in the region.
The Israeli transport ministry Yisrael Katz said on Monday that it will "get rid of Arabic and English names" for cities and towns on road signs, keeping only the Hebrew terms.
Currently road signs are written in Hebrew, Arabic and English, with the city names in each language. So Jerusalem is identified as Al-Quds in Arabic (along with Yerushalaim written in Arabic script), Yerushalaim in Hebrew, Jerusalem in English.
Under the new attempt, the Holy City will only be identified as Yerushalaim in all three languages. Nazareth (Al-Nasra in Arabic) will be identified as Natzrat and Jaffa (Jaffa in Arabic) will only be written as Yafo.
This covers 2,500 names of cities, towns and villages.
Israel changed original Arabic names of Palestinian areas after occupying in 1948, instead gave Hebrew names to them.
"No Quds"
Katz spoke of an underlying political motive for the plan.
"I will not allow that on our signs. This government, and certainly this minister, will not allow anyone to turn Jewish Jerusalem to Palestinian al-Quds."
"Almost all Israeli communities' names have previous names. Some Palestinian maps still refer to the Israeli cities by their pre-1948 names, since they see them as settlements," Katz told the Ynet news website.
"I will not allow that on our signs. This government, and certainly this minister, will not allow anyone to turn Jewish Jerusalem to Palestinian al-Quds."
"Distorting historical facts"
Palestinian members of Israeli Parliament condemned the new attempt "as distorting historical facts".
"Al-Quds will remain al-Quds and Shfaram will remain Shefa-'Amr," said Ahmad Tibi.
"Minister Katz is mistaken if he thinks that changing a few words can erase the existence of the Arab people or their connection to Israel. This is a blatant attempt at harming the Arabic language and everything it represents."
Another MP, Talab El-Sana added that Katz's move "was another move which reflects racist beliefs. This is an attempt to distort historical facts."
Chairman of Israel's Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, a left-wing political party, also sees that "too far-reaching."
"Yisrael Katz is merely the transportation minister and it appears that the power went to his head… I hereby inform him that he cannot change the nature of a place. Yisrael Katz will come and go but Shefa-'Amr is here to stay."
Israel occupied Al-Quds in the 1967 six-day war and later annexed the city, in a move the international community condemned.
The city is home to Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Muslims' first Qiblah [direction Muslims take during prayers] and the third holiest shrine after Al Ka'bah in Makkah and Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Its significance has been reinforced by the incident of Al Isra'a and Al Mi'raj — the night journey from Makkah to Al-Quds and the ascent to the Heavens by noble Prophet Muhammad.
Israel has been working hard over the past years to Judaize the holy city and change its Islamic identity.
It has been adopting a series of oppressive measures to force the Palestinians out, including systematic demolition of their homes.
PHOTO CAPTION
A road sign in Jerusalem
Source: worldbulletin
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