Palestinian cleric: Muslims should visit Occupied Jerusalem

Cairo: The chief Palestinian Muslim cleric is urging Muslims to visit Occupied Jerusalem, breaking a decades-long taboo against visiting the holy city because it would be considered support for Israel.

Shaikh Tayseer Al Timimi said on Wednesday that Muslims should travel to Occupied Jerusalem and perform pilgrimage to Muslim holy places in the city.

"I withdraw my fatwa (edict) and now ask all Muslims and [Arab] Christians to creep into [Occupied] Jerusalem for a visit, satisfaction and shopping," Al Timimi said at a press conference in Cairo.

"Come to the Palestinian hotels and come to the Palestinian markets," he said.

Al Timimi had previously banned Muslims from visiting the city, arguing that would be considered normalizing relations with Israel.

Other Muslim clerics also ban such visits, saying Muslims should wait until a Palestinian state is established in the area.