Changes

Many critics of the mosque's planned construction worry that the placement of a mosque so close to the site of an Islamic terrorist attack is tantamount to allowing a declaration of victory by al-Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations that supported the 9/11 attacks. This became more and more evident when the city of New York offered the Islamic group the option to build elsewhere in the city, at reduced cost, which the group quickly refused.<ref name="foxnews">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/11/ny-governor-offer-state-property-mosque-built-farther-away-ground-zero/ Offer Rejected to Move Mosque Away From Ground Zero]</ref> Dr. Gamal Abd Al-Gawad, director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, stated that the mosque's presence and location would "remind Americans of what Muslims did on 9/11" and that "it's not good for Muslims and Islam to be in the heart of such a controversy." <ref name="hnn">[http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/130299.html History News Network]</ref>

Many critics of the mosque's planned construction worry that the placement of a mosque so close to the site of an Islamic terrorist attack is tantamount to allowing a declaration of victory by al-Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations that supported the 9/11 attacks. This became more and more evident when the city of New York offered the Islamic group the option to build elsewhere in the city, at reduced cost, which the group quickly refused.<ref name="foxnews">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/11/ny-governor-offer-state-property-mosque-built-farther-away-ground-zero/ Offer Rejected to Move Mosque Away From Ground Zero]</ref> Dr. Gamal Abd Al-Gawad, director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, stated that the mosque's presence and location would "remind Americans of what Muslims did on 9/11" and that "it's not good for Muslims and Islam to be in the heart of such a controversy." <ref name="hnn">[http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/130299.html History News Network]</ref>

==Faulty Comparison to the Jewish People==

==Faulty Comparison and Appeal to Judaism==

Some supporters of the mosque, including the AMSA itself, have compared the plans for the mosque to plans by Jewish groups to construct a center (albeit one much smaller) within a few miles of the former World Trade Centers. This comparison has drawn criticism from watchdog organizations like Jihadwatch.org, which leveled criticism because

Some supporters of the mosque, including the AMSA itself, have compared the plans for the mosque to plans by Jewish groups to construct a center (albeit one much smaller) within a few miles of the former World Trade Centers. By comparing themselves to the Jewish people of New York and the world, the AMSA is hoping to draw similarities between themselves and Israel, a staunch American ally. This comparison, however, ignores the fact that Israel, nor any other Jewish group, has committed an attack against Americans, either on American soil or abroad. This comparison has also drawn criticism from watchdog organizations like Jihadwatch.org, which faulted the comparison because

<blockquote>'''Radical Jews have never bombed the West side of Manhattan nor killed 3000 Americans in the name of Judaism''' (their emphasis).<ref name="jihadwatch">[http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/08/islamic-supremacist-mega-mosque-like-skokie-nazi-march-legal-but-hurtful.html Islamic Supremacist Mosque]</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Radical Jews have never bombed the West side of Manhattan nor killed 3000 Americans in the name of Judaism''' (their emphasis).<ref name="jihadwatch">[http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/08/islamic-supremacist-mega-mosque-like-skokie-nazi-march-legal-but-hurtful.html Islamic Supremacist Mosque]</ref></blockquote>