| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Mini-mosque to be built in Ben Gurion airport |
| 2006-12-21 |
| A prayer room for Muslims will be built in Ben Gurion Airport, as part of a series of steps aimed at strengthening ties with the Arab community of Israel, The Israeli Airport Authority announced on Thursday. IAA CEO Gabi Ofir said the room will have the conditions necessary for keepers of the Muslim faith, such as purity of location, purity of the body and purity of clothes. The prayer room will be a square shaped space. In the entrance, a purification water trough will be set up, as well as a 35 cm. rest bench. The 20 square meter room will face southeast. The room will be carpeted and have a niche facing Mecca in one of its walls. It will also contain a library with Muslim prayer books. Apart from setting up the prayer room, the IAA has already begun several steps that will strengthen ties with the Arab community, the most prominent of which was starting the Unit for Relations with Minorities, a unit working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving assistance, guidance and help to Arabic speaking travelers in the airport's terminal. Recently, an Arabic language website of the IAA was unveiled, and also guide booklets and comprehensive Arabic language signs throughout the airport have been published. Ben Gurion Airport serves between 20,000 and 50,000 passengers daily. The ratio of Muslim passengers from within this estimate is unknown, but it is assumed that the prayer room will be sufficient |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #14 Well the Moose-limbs that go through Ben Gurion probably need a quiet place to "recover their thoughts" after the repeated interrogations they have to go through before getting anywhere near an airplane. It is tough on everyone, but if you look like you've even been to the West Bank or Gaza or have distant relatives there, then they really take out the rectal probe. |
| Posted by: remoteman 2006-12-21 17:01 |
| #13 Re #11: I think there will be a room available seasonally: when the Christmas trees are out on display they can have that closet. In the meantime, there are several available that have porcelein (SIC)seats/ koran storage devices built in. |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2006-12-21 16:46 |
| #12 Lol. |
| Posted by: .com 2006-12-21 11:39 |
| #11 "I'll keep an eye peeled for any future links you offer, lol. ;-)" And I'll get a bigger monitor! :) Anyone know if SEA-TAC has such a facility? |
| Posted by: Whiskettes4Hilali 2006-12-21 11:38 |
| #10 Naw - we were darned-near simultaneous. I'll keep an eye peeled for any future links you offer, lol. ;-) |
| Posted by: .com 2006-12-21 11:14 |
| #9 Heh, Whiskettes4Hilali - I just posted that story. I see it there now. My eyesight isn't the best these days. I am trying to confirm that it was Tullamarine (not Werribee, Essendon, Moorabbin etc). |
| Posted by: Whiskettes4Hilali 2006-12-21 10:59 |
| #8 Heh, Whiskettes4Hilali - I just posted that story. |
| Posted by: .com 2006-12-21 10:29 |
| #7 "A prayer room for Muslims will be built in Ben Gurion Airport" It is becoming quite common. The new Adelaide airport has such a room, for taxi drivers & others; the Melbourne airport "prayer" room is in the news due to someone smearing a koran with excrement & urinating in the "prayer" room. Koran abused in Bible payback |
| Posted by: Whiskettes4Hilali 2006-12-21 10:21 |
| #6 I get the feeling that you could ensure this is never used by putting up a sign that reads. "This mosque brought to you by Mossad." |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2006-12-21 10:04 |
| #5 I'll bet the feedback will pop eardrums... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-12-21 09:47 |
| #4 "According to the airport, the plans are tentative and no timetable for building the room has been decided." Let's hope it's after Hell freezes over. |
| Posted by: mac 2006-12-21 09:46 |
| #3 Muslims can pray in Ben Gurion when Jews can pray at the Kaaba. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-12-21 09:33 |
| #2 20 square meters is about 14.5' x 15', not exactly huge, but I think it is a bad precedent. When Islam accepts that Israel has a right to exist and Jews are allowed to pray in Muslim countries, then this should go forward. Until then, it is just one more sign of weakness and another level in the death spiral of the West. You cannot win the hearts and minds of these people through kindness and consideration. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-12-21 09:24 |
| #1 Hope there are hidden cameras inside. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-12-21 09:17 |