Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., October 08, 2009 Tishrei 20, 5770 | | Israel Time: 17:12 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Jewish World Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Focus U.S.A. Strenger than Fiction Business Real Estate Magazine Week's End Anglo File Books
Jerusalem District Police Chief Aharon Franco.
(Archive)
Share |
Last update - 15:34 05/10/2009
Jerusalem top cop: City's Muslims 'ungrateful'
By Liel Kyzer and Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel News, Jerusalem, Riots 

Jerusalem District Police Chief Aharon Franco said on Monday that the city's Muslim inhabitants were "ungrateful," referring to recent violent clashes between Arab rioters and the police near the Temple Mount.

Commenting on recent unrest in the capital, Franco said that "there is a degree of ungratefulness from the side the city's Muslim population after the police had worked to ensure peaceful prayers in the Temple Mount throughout the month of Ramadan."

Franco also said that the police would work to prevent any kind of disorderly conduct in the capital.
Advertisement
Arab lawmakers reacted mockingly to the Jerusalem police chief's statement, accusing authorities of denying Muslims the freedom of worship in the holy city.

"[Franco's statements show that] not all the Jews are smart," MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) said. "The Israel Police is impinging on Muslims' freedom of worship. Even God did not place restrictions like that one which limits access to Temple Mount to those over the age of 50."

"Even an occupying force is obligated to enable freedom of worship," Tibi said.

"We don't need any favors from you," Tibi said, directing his remarks to the Jerusalem police chief. "You and your friends will fulfill your obligation toward us as citizens and as human beings."

"You need to be given a course in democracy and the values of equality," Tibi said of Franco. "[Public Security] Minister [Yitzhak Aharonovich] once labeled us Arabushim (loosely translated as "dirty Arabs"), which also means 'ungrateful'. And to think that these are the people responsible for preserving law and order."

"The time has come to weed out the paternalistic attitude within the police toward Arab citizens," Tibi said.

Balad chairman MK Jamal Zahalka called for Franco's dismissal from the force. "The time has come for the Israeli establishment to understand that Al-Aqsa is a holy site for Muslims, and it is natural that any attempt to harm it will touch off harsh responses and will ignite a conflagration," Zahalka said.

The Balad chief said that the police presence in the mosques constitutes a trespassing of a holy place. "If they don't want demonstrations, then have them end the occupation in Jerusalem and the mosques," Zahalka said.

"The district chief has contracted a virus more harmful than swine flu, and that is the flu of racism and hatred of Arabs," said MK Taleb a-Sana (United Arab List ? Ta'al). "The Arabs are not asking for charity or favors, and they are present in Jerusalem by right and have been long before [Franco] dreamed of being there."

"He bears responsibility for ensuring the right to pray for all ethnic groups," a-Sana said. "He is not the police chief of the Jews but rather for all residents of Jerusalem, and if he is not capable of ensuring this, then I call on him to resign."

The Jerusalem District police chief's remarks came after Arab youths hurled stones at Haredi worshippers at the Mount of Olives earlier Monday, as Jerusalem was bracing for a possible new round of clashes amid growing Temple Mount tensions.

Police and border police forces arrested the rioters. No injuries were reported on either side.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Jewish worshipers, heavily guarded by police and border police units, concluded the traditional priestly blessing in the Western Wall on Monday.

Despite earlier concerns of a another outbreak of violence, no violent incidents were recorded during the ceremony, held a day after Arab rioters clashed with police after the Islamic Movement urged Arab demonstrators to come to the Temple Mount to "defend Al-Aqsa [Mosque]."

In one incident, at about 10 A.M. on Sunday, Arabs from northern Israel and East Jerusalem began throwing stones and bottles at police on Motta Gur St., near the Old City's Lions Gate.

Two policemen were lightly wounded and five demonstrators were arrested.

On Sunday afternoon, Arabs threw stones and Molotov cocktails at a Border Police roadblock near the Shuafat refugee camp. The incident produced no casualties.

Also Sunday, police arrested the deputy head of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Kamel Khatib, and Hatem Abdel Qader, who is in charge of Jerusalem for the PA's ruling Fatah party, on suspicion of incitement to violence.

A court released them on bail on condition that they stay out of the Old City for 15 days.

As a result of these incidents, police restricted entry to the Temple Mount Monday to Muslim worshipers aged 50 or older - a move that has in the past proven effective in preventing clashes on the mount.

It also barred Jews and tourists from entering the mount, to forestall friction with Muslim worshipers.

Thousands of policemen and border policemen were stationed in the Old City and throughout both East and West Jerusalem to protect the tens of thousands of visitors who were expected to flock there Monday.

Related articles:
  • Who is really to blame for the tensions on the Temple Mount?
  • WATCH: Organizer admits City of David endangers Arab homes
  • PA waging diplomatic war over Temple Mount
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Israel's noble victory
    Israeli scientist Ada Yonath becomes first woman to win Nobel in chemistry since 1964.
    Using the Holocaust
    Netanyahu harms the ethics of memory that Ahmadinejad is incapable of endorsing.
      1.   Convolution 10:24  |  sh 05/10/09
      2.   Leftie Esther from TA ,why don`t you hurl stones too? 10:27  |  Absolute Sweden 05/10/09
      3.   A little perspective 10:43  |  Emit 05/10/09
      4.   Wrong of them. This is a holy week to Jewish worshippers 11:02  |  JO 05/10/09
      5.   Really counter-productive 11:13  |  erikn 05/10/09
      6.   1500-year old Muslims can`t see the sight of 3000-year old Jews 11:43  |  Dan 05/10/09
      7.   #Dan 11:59  |  Herzlich 05/10/09
      8.   I never hear the term ungrateful 11:59  |  rm 05/10/09
      9.   Dear Top Cop... 12:04  |  Esther 05/10/09
      10.   Ungrateful 12:07  |  Yossi 05/10/09
      11.   No. 7 Herzlich. No update needed, V1.0 is good enough. 12:21  |  Dan 05/10/09
      12.   #2 Absolute Sweden why don`t you 12:37  |  Chris Linthwaite 05/10/09
      13.   JO #4... you are corredt that after Succot the hordes of ... 12:48  |  Esther 05/10/09
      14.   It`s a city under OCCUPATION 13:16  |  Shadi 05/10/09
      15.   #4 JO 13:18  |  Respectful?? 05/10/09
      16.   Thank You JO 13:29  |  Jackie 05/10/09
      17.   Oh dear, they`ve hurt the top cop`s feelings. Will he cry? 13:52  |  Michael 05/10/09
      18.   @Yossi in Geneva 13:55  |  Shouki 05/10/09
      19.   yes Arab should b grateful jews are stealing their land? 14:02  |  ezra 05/10/09
      20.   Franco has got a nerve 14:13  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 05/10/09
      21.   Shadi requires introspection 15:59  |  A TRUE American 05/10/09
      22.   Indeed, the Muslim community and its leaders are ungrateful!!! 16:02  |  Eitan 05/10/09
      23.   only respectful for the temple mount. 16:06  |  ben 05/10/09
      24.   Leftie Esther from TA ,your grandparents looked like those "horde 16:07  |  Absolute Sweden 05/10/09
      25.   Raed Salah,Tibi, Ben Gvir, Marzel and Taleb a-Sana 16:19  |  Ilan 05/10/09
      26.   Its just a racist comment 16:33  |  Dave Duncan 05/10/09
      27.   Re #3 Emit - what about the Moroccan quarter 16:49  |  Apa 05/10/09
      28.   Jews were `ungrateful` to British Mandate cops as well. 16:59  |  Michael 05/10/09
      29.   Ungrateful? 17:21  |  Peter 05/10/09
      30.   Ungrateful for the illegal occupation, forceful evictions,... 17:35  |  SRSabbah 05/10/09
      31.   dan 6 20:25  |  potobac 05/10/09
      32.   which is the capital, Jerusalem or Tel Aviv 20:48  |  Fahmida Abdul Sattar 05/10/09
      33.   jerusalem top cop 21:28  |  tommy 05/10/09
      34.   "Move on is right" to # 28 22:07  |  Alex 05/10/09
      35.   potobac - squaters are squaters and should be evicted when 22:51  |  17 05/10/09
      36.   #28 Potobac - My ancestors were here B 4 yours 22:59  |  *BEN JABO 05/10/09
      37.   SRSabbah - Chicago 23:05  |  *BEN JABO 05/10/09
      38.   Arabs 23:29  |  Michelle 05/10/09
      39.   UNGREATFUL? pathetic really 01:21  |  VIPER 06/10/09
      40.   #29, 17, yes they should be evicted 01:22  |  VIPER 06/10/09
      41.   JO # 4 you have no complaint 02:08  |  American in NY 06/10/09
      42.   Tibi wants equality??? 05:14  |  judith 06/10/09
      43.   To Shadi from Connstantinople 06:06  |  utagawa 06/10/09
      44.   FIRAS he sure has! Want him to fix you Arab style in one day? 07:12  |  PETER SM 06/10/09
      45.   dismantle it and make a wall of it 23:53  |  Isaiah62 06/10/09
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Holiday Greetings from the Heart
    LIBI-Caring for Israeli Soldiers
    JGooders Special Rosh Hashanah Gift Cards
    Send Gift Cards to you Friends and Family and Taste the Sweetness of Giving
    Date Local Jewish Singles
    Ready to meet your match? Join Jdate today!
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Amazing Jewelry
    Visit SoKoBe.com for the best priced fine jewelry in the world
    More Headlines
    16:55 One killed as school bus shot at near Arab town
    13:16 Sweden: Israel erred in not cooperating with Gaza probe
    10:31 CIA: Israel helped expose covert Iran nuclear facility
    13:28 Prominent rabbi to Peres: Jews forbidden on Temple Mount
    13:07 Israeli author Amoz Oz loses out on Nobel literature prize
    12:45 Mitchell hopeful Israel-Palestinian peace talks can resume soon
    12:52 Study: Muslims make up 25 percent of world population
    23:05 TV ROUND-UP: Israeli wins Nobel, cornerstone laid in East Jerusalem
    12:51 Israeli media mogul Haim Saban mulls stake in Al Jazeera
    08:21 Jordan's king to Haaretz: Without two states, there is no future
    11:22 IDF soldier arrested after caught on tape beating Palestinian
    14:15 Israel's Nobel winner: People called me a dreamer
    11:30 Alleged Nazi camp guard Demjanjuk trial set to open on Nov 30
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Advert: Recommended Restaurants | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved