00:32These are incredibly tense days with the ongoing conflict between U.S., Iran and Israel.
00:39Israel and U.S. forces are striking various areas of Iran.
00:43On the other side, Iranian missiles are raining over different parts of Israel,
00:48including Central Israel or the city of Tel Aviv, where I am right now.
00:54Blaring siren, people rushing to shelters,
00:56in fact, a thundering sound of missile interceptors,
01:00they have all become routine, not only for the city of Tel Aviv,
01:04but also for the entire Israel.
01:06Many people view this conflict as a conflict between religious beliefs
01:12fighting for their political dominance.
01:15But is it true?
01:17Is Israel only a true country?
01:20Let's explore.
01:21This mosque was built in 1675 during the Ottoman Empire by an Azza family.
01:27You can still see their names, their inscription carved in stone at the entrance of this mosque.
01:34Its name is Al-Bahar.
01:36And it makes perfect sense because in Arabic,
01:39the meaning of Al-Bahar is near the sea or the sea.
01:44It makes perfect sense because this place is very close to the Tel Aviv beach and the Mediterranean Sea.
01:51For centuries, this mosque played an important role for all those who wanted to come to this place for worship,
01:58for prayers, especially fishermen, sailors and port workers who came here to offer their prayers.
02:05But step into historic Jaffa in Tel Aviv's Yafo area and you will discover a quiet, timeless spot by the
02:12sea.
02:12Al-Bahar Mosque, where I am right now, is one of the oldest existing mosques in Jaffa,
02:19one of the oldest cities in the region.
02:22But step into historic Jaffa in Tel Aviv's Yafo area and you will discover a quiet, timeless spot by the
02:29sea.
02:29The Al-Bahar Mosque, where I am right now, is also known as a sea mosque.
02:34And it is the oldest existing mosque in Old Jaffa or you can say Tel Aviv region.
02:41So this little mosque by the sea is a living symbol that this land has been a crossroad of multiple
02:47faiths for centuries.
02:49Today, Israel is home to almost 1.8 million Muslim citizens, roughly around 18% of country's population.
02:55They are a full citizen with voting rights and passports and freedom of religion.
03:01Like everyone, they are also facing the same missile alerts and shelter runs during this conflict.
03:07After a period of disuse, it was carefully restored in mid-1990s, approximately around 1995 and 1997.
03:14It remains an active mosque even today, even during these difficult times.
03:20While many see current war as a fight for religious dominance, Al-Bahar Mosque quietly reminds us of something much
03:28richer.
03:29This region, the Holy Land in Levant, is the birthplace of three major Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
03:37Over centuries, they have overlapped, sometimes intentions, but always sharing the same sacred landscape.
03:45In the midst of strikes and fear, this seaside mosque continues to offer space for prayer and reflection.
03:53Jaffa remains a mixed city where Jewish and Arab residents have long lived side by side.
03:59This shows that faith and culture often endure beyond any single chapter of God's land,
04:05reminding us of shared humanity and hope for safer, peaceful days ahead.
04:16You
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