Land's highest honor for devoted service! Palestine rewards Indian with 'star of Jerusalem' award

News Bharati    14-Jun-2019
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Jerusalem, Jun 14: Indians abroad have their own importance and recognition. Indians in Palestine are not just immigrants but links to the shared heritage of India and Palestine. To honor this shared heritage, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has conferred an Indian national with the Star of Jerusalem medal, one of the highest honors given to foreign nationals by the Palestinian Authority.
 
At the special event arranged for rewarding Sheikh Mohammad Munir Ansari yesterday, Mr. Abbas appreciated Ansari for devoted service to Palestine and Jerusalem, which is one of the holiest city for Muslims, with distinction.
 
In 2011, India has honored Sheikh Munir Ansari with the Pravasi Divas Samman, the highest honor conferred on overseas Indians.
 
on this occasion, the Palestinian President Abbas said, "Ansari Family's presence in the old city of Jerusalem reflects the strong traditional ties between India and Palestinian people".
 
He also expressed, for strengthening the people to people contact between India and Palestine, he is planning to send Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh to India soon to boost tourist inflows from there which can contribute to strong bonding between the two nations.
 
The representative of India, Sunil Kumar, who was present the event, also appreciated the role played by the Ansari family in strengthening Indo-Palestine ties.
 
Who is Sheikh Mohammad Munir Ansari?
 
Sheikh Munir Ansari is the Director of Indian Hospice, a unique and historic monument in the heart of the Holy City, which has become a symbol of India’s heritage and presence in the old city of Jerusalem going back to over 800 years.
 
The Indian hospice has been under the direct supervision of a representative from India since 1924. Sheikh Munir Ansari’s father, Sheikh Nazir Hassan Ansari, was appointed the first Sheikh of the Hospice from whom the mantle passed on to the incumbent who was born in Jerusalem in 1928 and has spent his whole life here.
 

 
 
In the 12th century, Baba Farid, the famous Sufi saint from Punjab visited Jerusalem on pilgrimage and prayed in seclusion for 40 days at the current site of the Hospice. It later became a pilgrimage site for Indian pilgrims visiting Jerusalem and was dedicated as a charitable waqf property in trust for a pious purpose.
 
The place where Baba Farid is said to have prayed has become a major attraction for Indian tourists visiting Jerusalem.
 
Almost every prominent Indian leader who has visited the region has paid a visit to the site and the hospice continues to host Indians visiting the Holy Land. The hospice also received a grant from the Ministry of External Affairs for its renovation.