[Al Arabiya Latest] Egypt's top Islamic body issued a fatwa sanctioning the construction of a steel wall between Cairo and the impoverished Gaza Strip, causing a stir amongst several scholars who accused Egypt of stifling the resistance in the strip. The Center for Islamic Research (CIR) at the al-Azhar school, the world's leading institution of Sunni Islam, issued a fatwa last week saying the construction of a steel barrier between Egypt and Gaza was in line with Islamic teachings as it was part of Egypt's right to defend its territory.
"It is Egypt's legitimate right to erect barriers that would stop the damage caused by the tunnels linking Rafah to Gaza," an Azhar statement said, after it was approved by al-Azhar's Grand Imam Sheikh Mohamed Sayyed Tantawi. "What is smuggled through those tunnels threatens the security of the country."
| I am amazed and impressed. What brought about this awareness of reality, I wonder? |