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Last update - 19:04 19/11/2008
Dividing Jerusalem, one wall at a time
By Bradley Burston
Tags: Jerusalem, Israel News 

JERUSALEM - There is a new wall in the downtown heart of the Holy City. It is, in fact, a new security fence. It is not tall, nor built to last. But the wall, and what it protects, may do more to undermine Israel's moral claims to Jerusalem than the huge concrete structure that has marred the city's Arab eastern half for years.

There is no sign on the wall. There is no explanation for the need of a uniformed guard posted at its entrance. There is no indication, therefore, that it protects construction on a quarter-billion dollar monument to insensitivity.

It is a testament, as well, to the principle that Israel's only reliable natural resource is irony. The walled area is a construction site where a Los Angeles-based Jewish human rights organization dedicated to instilling the lessons of the Holocaust and combating hatred, is building a Museum of Tolerance and Center for Human Dignity atop an ancient Muslim cemetery.
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The complex is a project of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, whose founder Rabbi Marvin Hier envisions the museum as a "great landmark promoting the principles of mutual respect and social responsibility."

No one disputes that Jerusalem is in dire need of tolerance and human dignity. Rabbi Hier was surely right to set that as his goal. But when the Wiesenthal Center originally chose the Mamilla cemetery site from a range of locations offered, it was wrong.

And late last month, when the Supreme Court gave a green light to the project, and Rabbi Hier responded that "Moderation and tolerance have prevailed," he was dead wrong.

In 2006, less than two years after Rabbi Hier, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, architect Frank Gehry and much of the Israeli cabinet broke ground on the Museum of Tolerance site, construction was abruptly ? and correctly - halted.

Workers excavating the site had struck bones.

At that point, the Wiesenthal Center, mindful of its stated mission, should have immediately begun a search for an alternative site for the museum. Instead, it spent a fortune in legal fees fighting a protracted court battle in which, in a very real sense, everyone came out the loser.

After all, this is the same organization which labored for 15 long years, in the words of Wiesenthal Center Associate Dean Abraham Cooper, helping "galvanize world opinion to force the removal of a Carmelite convent from the grounds of Auschwitz."

Why had the Wiesenthal Center worked so hard and for so long to win the removal of a Catholic convent built there?

"Auschwitz is the largest Jewish cemetery - the single largest unmarked human graveyard - in history," Cooper noted in 2005.

"It deserves universal respect."

Rabbi Cooper was right. A burial ground of one faith must be respected by people of all religions, even if the graves are unmarked.

So it was for Jewish graves in Auschwitz. So it was, last year, in Vilnius, where Jews protested vociferously when officials granted permits for apartment construction atop an area believed to be part of Lithuania's largest Jewish cemetery.

So it was with Jewish graves on the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem. Jews were justifiably outraged when they learned that during the former Jordanian rule, construction on and around the cemetery uprooted and destroyed large numbers of Jewish graves.

And so it is, certainly, for a site said to have been the city's main Muslim cemetery until 1948.

There are Muslims who believe that the Mamilla cemetery includes the graves of men who fought for Saladin against the Crusaders. Archeologists believe the graves are more recent, no more than 400 years old. Either way, for the Wiesenthal Center, the following is the truth that should truly count:

In a city sacred to a majority of the world's population, the bedrock test of the legitimacy of Israeli rule is the degree of respect the Jewish state accords the sacred sites of other faiths.

The chosen location of a Muslim cemetery in Jewish West Jerusalem casts doubt on Israel's guardianship of holy sites. It calls into question not only Israel's moral claims to ruling all of Jerusalem, it erodes its claims to any of it.

It does Israel no honor that Supreme Court approval of the project was based, in part, on the argument that no protests were heard when a the city built a parking lot on part of the cemetery in 1960 ? this at a time when much of Israel's Arab population was under martial law, and in little position to voice opposition.

Moreover, it is not for Jews to decide what Muslims should and should not hold sacred.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center has won its day in court. But in doing so, it defeated the very tolerance, human dignity, mutual trust, and brotherhood for which the center stands.

What is compassion, what is tolerance, if not the ability to reconsider one's own actions in the light of the ways in which they may injure others?

One needn't be a jurist, nor an expert in Middle East conflict resolution, to know that Muslims will have zero tolerance for the chosen site of this museum. One need only to be a lover of Jerusalem, and of Israel, to have zero tolerance for it as well.

It is not too late. Now is the time for Rabbi Hier and the Wiesenthal Center to embrace the true message of the project. Make the righteous and courageous decision to leave the Mamilla cemetery and build elsewhere.

It is not too late. Set an example of respect. Tear down this wall. Move the museum.

______________________

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  1.   Burying the evidence or destroying it? 09:52  |  Natallie Durson 19/11/08
  2.   Burston, your ignorance is showing, again 10:06  |  Anna 19/11/08
  3.   The Israeli people and the "supremacy" factor.... 10:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/08
  4.   Hypocrisy 10:42  |  Jeffrey R. Woolf 19/11/08
  5.   To Anna #2 - Even if you are right, I am still flabbergasted. 11:13  |  S 19/11/08
  6.   Pray on the Temple Mount 11:36  |  mark 19/11/08
  7.   THE WAY FORWARD 11:46  |  james hazan 19/11/08
  8.   To Anna & Jeff 12:24  |  Moe 19/11/08
  9.   Only for you Bradley 13:14  |  S 19/11/08
  10.   this is no 160 email not posted in 5 days 13:21  |  victor hardman 19/11/08
  11.   #2 misses the point on `Museum of INtolerance` 13:26  |  examiner 19/11/08
  12.   To Swiss (Dino) #3 13:48  |  AW 19/11/08
  13.   Is there anything non-Muslim that Muslims tolerate anywhere? 14:35  |  Genuine Tosefta 19/11/08
  14.   At the bottom of the pit Muslims are afraid Jewish remains found 14:40  |  Genuine Tosefta 19/11/08
  15.   Graves 15:03  |  Jeffrey Woolf 19/11/08
  16.   Genuine Tosefta 15:04  |  Moe 19/11/08
  17.   then the arabs, pals, israeli arabs will have to learn tolerance 15:07  |  ralph 19/11/08
  18.   #14 Crap and wishful thinking 15:12  |  American Patriot 19/11/08
  19.   To AW #12 15:19  |  S 19/11/08
  20.   # 12 AW 15:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/08
  21.   # to S re Anna`s post No.2 15:27  |  Hastaroth 19/11/08
  22.   Bradley....I realize this may sound strange 15:31  |  Lynn 19/11/08
  23.   Swiss DIno and his supremicist assumptions 15:33  |  ChanahS 19/11/08
  24.   # 15, LYNN 15:49  |  indrajaya 19/11/08
  25.   Why not build a `tolerance museum` on the site? 15:56  |  Mark Lincoln 19/11/08
  26.   Journalism???? 16:03  |  GR 19/11/08
  27.   Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 yrs 16:10  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 19/11/08
  28.   IT GETS WORSE BRADLEY 16:21  |  NF 19/11/08
  29.   Museum of Intolerance 16:25  |  David 19/11/08
  30.   Swiss , There are two issues here 16:54  |  TOMY 19/11/08
  31.   Hastaroth #15 16:54  |  S 19/11/08
  32.   Lynn `Indian burial grounds` 17:04  |  examiner 19/11/08
  33.   In the abstract of the world , Bradly is right , but 17:05  |  TOMY 19/11/08
  34.   To AW #12 17:08  |  S 19/11/08
  35.   To S #19 17:15  |  AW 19/11/08
  36.   #24 Indy...."we"? 17:16  |  Lynn 19/11/08
  37.   # 23 Chanah, as we all know, there are no rules.... 17:23  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/08
  38.   # 30 TOMY 17:28  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/11/08
  39.   Swiss (Dino) #20 17:30  |  AW 19/11/08
  40.   "or lagoyim" ? 18:49  |  Ora Solomon 19/11/08
  41.   museum for tolerance 18:58  |  rm 19/11/08
  42.   Mr. Bradley Burston Is Right On This One--Finally 19:24  |  Jeff Northridge 19/11/08
  43.   Swiss twit aka Dino paraphrased 19:52  |  Suzanne 19/11/08
  44.   Jewish cemeteries in Arab countries 21:36  |  Realist 19/11/08
  45.   Emblem of intolerance 22:19  |  Esther 19/11/08
  46.   #28 THANK YOU FOR THE TRUTH.I SAY:THE MEAN BURSTEIN.. 22:39  |  K 19/11/08
  47.   Realist Makes One Sick to Ones Stomach 22:47  |  Yaakov Sullivan 19/11/08
  48.   Realist 33 23:01  |  ChanahS 19/11/08
  49.   RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION GOES 2 WAYS 23:13  |  Barry S. Roffman 19/11/08
  50.   #25 Mark Lincoln...AND TO EVERYONE.BRAD`IS A GHOST HE IS NOTTHERE 23:36  |  KATHY 19/11/08
  51.   What could be a better monument than a museum recognizing... 23:48  |  Smadar 19/11/08
  52.   The new mayor of Jerusalem is threatening ... 23:48  |  Esther 19/11/08
  53.   vic #10... can`t even take a hint... 00:00  |  Esther 20/11/08
  54.   to Jehudah Ben-Israel #27 - yes but 00:12  |  zeev 20/11/08
  55.   #18 Hey wake Up Arab American,Cheer yourself up! 00:53  |  K 20/11/08
  56.   #17 ralph...eeeeeexactly!!!!!!!!! 00:57  |  K 20/11/08
  57.   Swiss (Dino) - 4th try 01:23  |  David Israel 20/11/08
  58.   #18 American Traitor you don`t call Muslim ridiculous claims crap 01:25  |  Genuine Tosefta 20/11/08
  59.   Muslims hate anything that promotes tolerance w.others&each other 01:30  |  Genuine Tosefta 20/11/08
  60.   SELECTIVE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION 02:22  |  Barry S. Roffman 20/11/08
  61.   Genuine Tosefta`s stunning illogic... 02:30  |  BBSNews 20/11/08
  62.   Somebody Angry? 06:04  |  NMF 20/11/08
  63.   NF, you left out important facts that cast doubt on your theme... 06:06  |  BBSNews 20/11/08
  64.   Bradley Burston, congratulations! 06:33  |  Akiva P 20/11/08
  65.   Mark Lincoln,...KUDOS!!! 07:03  |  Akiva P 20/11/08
  66.   NF @#28 07:08  |  Akiva P 20/11/08
  67.   Realist, tit-for-tat is an abomination to the lord 07:15  |  Akiva P 20/11/08
  68.   K @#35 07:18  |  Akiva P 20/11/08
  69.   Yaakov Sullivan @#36 07:23  |  Akiva P 20/11/08
  70.   Smadar @#38 07:29  |  Akiva P 20/11/08
  71.   S about Dino-Swiss 07:30  |  x-ray 20/11/08
  72.   Illuminating, concise article on how we can create our troubles 07:50  |  Eric Roth 20/11/08
  73.   to Jehudah Ben-Israel #27 - yes but 07:57  |  zeev 20/11/08
  74.   x-ray, how have you seen thru it all???!!! 08:09  |  Akiva P`` 20/11/08
  75.   Fine! 08:50  |  Akiva P 20/11/08
  76.   # 42, SMADAR 09:25  |  indrajaya 20/11/08
  77.   sad to say, but ANY such endeavor by a jewish organization 10:15  |  eric 20/11/08
  78.   # 39 AW, let me respond you in one sentence.... 12:22  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/11/08
  79.   # 43 Suzanne, even if I (of course) don`t agree with you..... 12:28  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/11/08
  80.   #66 melancholy And Sentimental Akiva P Melanc 15:34  |  K 20/11/08
  81.   #43 Suzanne The Swiss And Banks..A few forums ago Isent a Post. 15:51  |  K 20/11/08
  82.   #80 An Addendum..As Someone Reminded us here.. 16:23  |  K 20/11/08
  83.   Muslims have zero-tolerance for Israel. So what? 17:45  |  Yacov 20/11/08
  84.   #25 Mark Lincoln A Reply..On Burial Sites.. 18:19  |  Kathy 20/11/08
  85.   #68 Akiva Read,Sigh,and Stop being concerned because! 20:31  |  K 20/11/08
  86.   Swiss Dino 3 - Thank you so much... 23:48  |  Lee 20/11/08
  87.   dividing Jerusalam, one wall at a time 23:24  |  athar murtuza 21/11/08
  88.   It`s a few bones 22:37  |  Peter Williams 22/11/08
  89.   Learn the meaning of "MUNDRAS" 09:16  |  Jacob 23/11/08
  90.   Arabs Can`t Make Up Their Minds About Whose Bones Were There 04:40  |  UsedToPostHere 24/11/08
  91.   What I love is the name. 08:21  |  Colin Wright 24/11/08
  92.   re: Colin Wright 19:58  |  UsedToPostHere 25/11/08
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