10,000 attend Islamic movement's West Bank rally (re-establish global caliphate)
By The Associated Press
A global Islamic movement called the Liberation Party that aims to bring Muslims back to their religion drew a crowd of more than 10,000 at a rally Saturday, and speakers denounced Palestinian Authority leaders in the West Bank as infidels.
However, the Liberation Party espouses non-violent change, and Palestinian security officials said they would not restrict the movement's activities as long as it does not resort to violence.
The Liberation Party, founded in 1953 by a Palestinian cleric in Jerusalem, calls for re-establishing the caliphate, or Islamic state, across the Muslim world.
Saturday's rally was held on the sports field of the Quaker-run Friends School, a private English-speaking school.
"The caliphate is coming," read a large poster on the wall of the field.
Speakers gave detailed descriptions of how an Islamic state would be run, specifying that 13 ministries would be established, including for media and foreign affairs.
In a statement distributed to the crowd, the movement said the Palestinian Authority, a result of interim Israeli-Palestinian peace deals a decade ago, was set up by infidels and is fighting against the caliphate.
"It's known that no one fights the caliphate, expect for infidels or representatives of the infidels," the statement said. "The employees in the Palestinian Authority are supposed to be Muslims. How can they stand with the infidels fighting their religion and their nation."
The current leader of the group, Ata Abu Rishta, told the audience by telephone that pro-U.S. leaders in the Arab world are being used by the U.S.
Hazem Bader, a member of Liberation Party, said an Islamic state is nearer than ever, but that holy war would have to wait until that state has been established.
Palestinian policemen stood outside the field, and organizers said one of the group's cars had been confiscated.
On its Web site, the party said it planned rallies Sunday in Indonesia, the Netherlands, Pakistan and Malaysia.
10,000 attend Islamic movement's West Bank rally (re-establish global caliphate)
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