15 arrested protesting Jewish takeover of East Jerusalem

Expelling entire families from their homes just because they are not Jews is horrible, and gives an awful image of Israel abroad. How come Jews can reclaim East Jerusalem houses where Jews used to live before 1948, but Palestinians cannot reclaim West Jerusalem hosues where they lived before 1948? This is sheer discrimination and racism, and it is unbelievable that such a thing might nhappen in a democracy. That peaceful protests should be forbidden is equally appealing.

Go to Jerusalem and look around you: all old houses were built by Palestinians or by Arabs during the Ottoman period! Even West Jerusalem is full of Paletinian-built houses, the Arab architecture is everywhere. The only exceptions were houses built by Christian groups, like in the German colony for instance. You can count the old buildings built by Jews on the fingers of your hands.

No Jerusalem was not built by the Jews. Jerusalem was a Jebusite city long before it was conquored by the Israelites (see Judges 1:21) and it has been taken many times since. Babylonians, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines (Greeks again), Arabs, European Crusaders, Arabs, Turks and the British have all ruled over Jerusalem at some time. Sure Jews have ruled there sometimes but for the larger part of it's history Jerusalem has been in the possession of non-Jews.

If the arabs had won the wars they started there would be no jews left in Israel. Unfortunately for them they lost and unlike what they did in 1949 expelling the jews and destroying their homes and sacred places Israel did not reciprocate. But the original owners can now reclaim their stolen property. Law of war, my dear.

So, can the Palestinians who were dispossessed of their homes in West Jerusalem in 1948 claim those back as well? Or do only Jews have such a right?

....in a much, much better shape today.

free as you want to be...but not on our land

you want to make all of the stolen land arab free and jews only and you dont care how you do it

that is all this has ever been about...

Obviously they are recovering their homes that were stolen from them in 1949. They have the deeds.

What is going on in East Jerusalem is evil. It is like "cold" ethnic cleansing. When will this ever stop?

BDS, if I BUY your house, and PAY you, are you going to scream that I STOLE it from you, after you return from the bank when you cashed the check ??? By the way, why is selling your house to a Jew punishable by death ? What planet are these people from ?? Talk about racist, that would prompt round-the-clock protests from Rev. Sharpton if that happened in the USA.

Rationality is not a word game. You write that Israel is "simply" reacting..... What BS! Israel, if you have not yet noticed, is the victor many times over since 1949. It is the victor, it is many, many times stronger than the Palestinian forces of all types, and it will remain so in the foreseeable future, or at least as long as the internal rot allows. As the stronger, Israel should NOT "simply react". If it is interested in peace for land, it will prove it to the justifiably suspicious Palsestinians. And that is rational.

The Palis have never ruled any part of Jerusalem ever in history. I believe they were citizens of Jordan who occupied Jerusalem illegally. Why should they have any right to rule a land that has historically belonged to the Jews?

Should go way beyond Jerusalem really, to give the Jews a legitimate sized country out of part of their historical lands, in contrast to the vast lands of the Arabs in both Arabia and conquered lands around. But the Jews will settle for their capital and a country the size of Wales. Peace is there for the Pals if they want it.

they have be paleastinian citizens

isreali feels they can do anything they want and they welcome to live by me by palestinian rule of law

"Pretty racist to say Jews are forbidden from living somewhere." No, it's not racist to say that Jews should not be allowed to steal other people's homes.

Jerusalem was built by Jews thousand years before Arabs came to this area. The only takeover of Jerusalem was the takeover by Arabs. Now Jerusalem is back in the hands of its real owners.

Also, no one should stop Palestinians from living anywhere, including Tel Aviv and Haifa. When can we start moving there?

Agreed, but will they be willing to live under Pal rule?

ditto, pretty racist to stop Palestinians living in East Jerusalem

In Tehran, people are looking for a better "life". While in E. Jerusalem, people are looking for a "life".

Yossi Sarid and Avraham Burg do not represent the vastmajority of the Israeli public.

it is located in E.Jerusalem ? Last time when an Arab family was denied permit to buy a house in a privately held Jewish residential neighbourhood , like a New York coop board does so often , the same lefties and Arabs were protesting against exclusion . If that was wrong , this is hundred times more wrong . The double standard at its worst .

The protestors from the left are responsible for helping to fuel the murders of innocent people in the whole region. They have proven themselves to be inept and dangerous, calling themselves 'peace activists' such as the British politician who relief convoy to Gaza led to the murder of an Egyptian police officer and the kidnapping of 4 others. And they protest at the same time Abbas turns down talks for the hundredth time. Don't these people get it: Israel is simply reacting to the aggression around them. First comes survival: after that, we'll talk peace. In the meantime, I hope Israel continues to reclaim her ancient land piece by piece, foot by foot because the Palestinians have no respect for it AND THEY DON'T WANT PEACE!

Pretty racist to say Jews are forbidden from living somewhere.

....and being arrested for it.