NEW YORK—Despite the controversy over location of the Park51 mosque construction in Lower Manhattan, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said that the project needs to move forward.
In an opinion piece published in the New York Times on Wednesday, Rauf said he was “struck by how the controversy has riveted the attention of Americans.” He added that he was abroad on a State Department-backed tour in the Middle East and did not want to issue statements while he was away.
“The level of attention reflects the degree to which people care about the very American values under debate: recognition of the rights of others, tolerance, and freedom of worship,” he said.
Rauf said that the $100 million Cordoba House, which will include an Islamic place of worship and a community center, will serve as a bridge between religions and cultures. He added that the community center will serve as a site not just for Muslims but also for Christians and Jews.
Critics of the project say that building a mosque close to ground zero would be insensitive to the families of those who died during the 9/11 attacks.
