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Labor MK Michael Melchior. (Kobi Gideon / Baubau)
Last update - 16:34 26/12/2007
Knesset to decide on proposal to preserve Muslim holy sites
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Rabbi Shlomo Amar 

A bill to establish an authority responsible for preserving Muslim holy sites, for the first time since the creation of the state, will soon be brought before the Knesset.

The bill enjoys significant support from Jewish religious figures, including Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar.

According to the bill, the state would allocate NIS 8 million annually for the preservation of mosques and cemeteries that were abandoned in 1948.
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The bill's sponsor, MK Michael Melchior (Labor), told Haaretz yesterday that in his opinion, this is the state's duty, as a Jewish state must care for the holy sites of Muslims.

"As an Israeli rabbi, and one who often deals with the standing of Jews abroad, I cannot tolerate what is happening here," Melchior said. "We must correct this, as is right for a democracy and in line with Jewish values."

It is not clear whether Melchior will manage to rally the support of his coalition colleagues. However, he has gained the support of many influential rabbis.

The bill was prepared by the Citizens' Accord Forum, a nongovernmental organization founded by Melchior that strives to bring Jews and Muslims closer. The proposal will be presented during the organization's annual conference in Jaffa.

Dr. Yitzhak Reiter of Hebrew University's Truman Institute, one of the bill's authors, prepared a list of a dozen sites that would benefit from reconstruction work. Among them are Dahr al-Omar, a mosque in the center of Tiberias; Masjad al-Basa, near Shlomi in the north; and Sidna Ali, near Herzliya.

MK Ibrahim Sarsur (Ra'am-Ta'al), the head of the Islamic Movement's southern branch, said that the preservation and rehabilitation of sites holy to Muslims should be gradual.

"We are realistic and rational, and we are not seeking to frighten the public," he said. "The reality today is different from that prior to 1948, and we are want to be fair. It is time that the matter be dealt with in a humanistic-religious spirit."

Following Israel's establishment, most Christian holy sites remained under the control of the churches. Sites belonging to the Waqf (Muslim religious endowment) came under the control of the Custodian of Abandoned Properties. In many cases, cemeteries went untended because residents of their villages had fled to nearby countries.

In 1950, the state confiscated many of the abandoned properties, including those belonging to the Waqf. Later, some mosques and other structures came into private hands.


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      1.   we of zion want to control muslim authority 05:00  |  its ours 26/12/07
      2.   Where is the bill to stop Muslim desecration of the Temple Mount? 05:02  |  David 26/12/07
      3.   Protect Pagan Holy Sites? 05:34  |  Rav Harley 26/12/07
      4.   The Dome of The Rock 05:49  |  Edifice 26/12/07
      5.   Muslim Sites 05:59  |  Rav Harley 26/12/07
      6.   Israel Protects Jewish INterests and Jewish INdividuals - like 05:59  |  J 26/12/07
      7.   Reciprocity? 06:03  |  Sam 26/12/07
      8.   What about Jewish holy sites in hebron, etc 06:30  |  real vision 26/12/07
      9.   abandoned? 06:46  |  Sal 26/12/07
      10.   OUCH!!! Rav Harley 06:54  |  Gary Pineda 26/12/07
      11.   "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" 07:10  |  sandra chitayat 26/12/07
      12.   Where Are Hagar And Ishmael Tombs/Burials ? 07:21  |  Joseph E . 26/12/07
      13.   Muslims are not pagans, they pure monotheists 07:30  |  Dany 26/12/07
      14.   Infidel sites 09:47  |  Nora 26/12/07
      15.   #10 dany should review the black stones in saudi arabia 10:28  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      16.   the israeli kind of freedom of religion 10:36  |  Kris 26/12/07
      17.   Once again, Rabbis got it all wrong!!! 10:48  |  Moshe 26/12/07
      18.   #16 kris should learn some history 10:50  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      19.   Protects sites but treat Arab-Israeli like shiiit!! 11:13  |  Hypocrisy Monitor 26/12/07
      20.   TRY TO BE MORE INNOVATIVE THAN THE ROMANS 11:20  |  indrajaya 26/12/07
      21.   I wish I live 4000 years... 11:20  |  ... 26/12/07
      22.   Reverse intelligence 11:24  |  Paul 26/12/07
      23.   Kris 11:26  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/12/07
      24.   Boundry test 11:40  |  Natallie Durson 26/12/07
      25.   # 18 I`m sure it is in your own 12:51  |  Kris 26/12/07
      26.   # 23 read again do I really need to say more? 13:06  |  Kris 26/12/07
      27.   To all the un-informed talkbackers 13:18  |  Muslim 26/12/07
      28.   Holy sites 13:28  |  Ya`akov 26/12/07
      29.   #21 ... Atilla 13:33  |  MR 26/12/07
      30.   Muslim holy sites 13:58  |  Ralph 26/12/07
      31.   #16 Kris 14:21  |  MR 26/12/07
      32.   reply to # 12 i think by Snow whites grave site 14:30  |  SJ 26/12/07
      33.   Sounds like a good law 15:16  |  Michael 26/12/07
      34.   #25 kris doesnt know poland and russia were not in the austro hun 15:24  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      35.   Last time I checked... 15:32  |  Nephtaly 26/12/07
      36.   Maintenance should be a temporary measure 15:32  |  Tosefta 26/12/07
      37.   michael how about ending muslim apartheid 16:02  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      38.   Good source for Quran, Bible, Torah 16:04  |  Learner 26/12/07
      39.   Nice article 16:20  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 26/12/07
      40.   Margie from South Africa 16:24  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      41.   #16 - when was the last time Jews blew up a mosque? 16:32  |  Steve 26/12/07
      42.   #41 Steve 16:47  |  tbora 26/12/07
      43.   but not if jewish/israeli sites underneath which the muslims took 16:57  |  ralph 26/12/07
      44.   #34 your ignorance of the austro-hungarian 17:01  |  Kris 26/12/07
      45.   #44 kris zionism was born in babylon 3000 years ago 17:14  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      46.   On fake BG quotes (Labhras #40) 17:15  |  Tosefta 26/12/07
      47.   Durson goes back to sCHOOL 17:16  |  sABRA 26/12/07
      48.   I do question your numbers 17:34  |  Kris 26/12/07
      49.   #2 David 17:43  |  emad matahin 26/12/07
      50.   # 45 Nathan Birnbaum jewish journalist from Vienna 17:46  |  Kris 26/12/07
      51.   Margie in Tel Aviv 18:07  |  emad matahin 26/12/07
      52.   348/50 kris and numbers at 1900 of jews in eastern europe 18:14  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      53.   #46 Tosefta Re BG 18:37  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      54.   Does Russia preserve German sites in Kaliningrad? 18:40  |  Yehuda 26/12/07
      55.   #46 Tosefta Re BG 18:44  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      56.   Hi Emad 19:19  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/12/07
      57.   346 Tosefta re BG/Kletter 19:20  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      58.   Labrat 19:21  |  Albert Seligman 26/12/07
      59.   Rav Harley ignoramus 19:25  |  David 26/12/07
      60.   #59 david the root word el as in elohim is sumerian 19:35  |  victor hardman 26/12/07
      61.   Margie from Ta SA 19:40  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      62.   #58 Hydra flushman/yinyiahu/etc is back 19:52  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      63.   Someone`s opinion (Labhras #57) 20:09  |  Tosefta 26/12/07
      64.   #63 Tosefta 20:29  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      65.   margie 20:36  |  emad matahin 26/12/07
      66.   # 5 Muslim Sites Rav Harley 20:48  |  emad matahin 26/12/07
      67.   Sal#9 - lands in Europe were not abandoned 21:19  |  William 26/12/07
      68.   Goodbye Columbus 21:20  |  Albert Seligman 26/12/07
      69.   Hypocrisy Monitor#19 - shed some light on your hidden agenda 21:25  |  William 26/12/07
      70.   Muslim#27 - does that include Joseph`s Tomb? 21:32  |  William 26/12/07
      71.   #45 Victorpaul Harrisman 21:36  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      72.