Leftists to Elie Wiesel: Occupied Jerusalem can't be holy

Ellie is right Jerusulem is incredible and wonderful and holy should always be in Jewish Control

It is a shame that the leftist movement can not understand the safety issues behind an indivisible Jerusalem. It is apparent that the Arab street understands that by dividing the city again they are conquering Israel. Elie Wiesel understands that Jerusalem is more than real estate. It is a symbol. A symbol not only of the Jewish people and the Jewish nation but of unity. One may ask how can a city symbolize unity when it is divided so dramatically by its Arab and Jewish residents. In truth it is only after 1967 that both Jew and Arab were welcome to live and worship in Jerusalem. For those who forget, Jerusalem was never meant to be under Jordanian control. It is only since Israeli liberation of the city that all have been welcomed in all parts of the city, Arab, Jew, and Christian living together. When Jerusalem is removed from the equation and everyone there recognizes that it will remain forever Israeli, then all people living there will have the power and the peace of mind to govern and live together without the threat of a forced division causing rifts between the residents. It is only through unification that citizens of Jerusalem can live with the comfort of knowing that desegregation will benefit them all.

Jerulalem is more than a city , it is a spitirual an ancient and modern city for centuries, how can anybody say that it was created by politics, this is a travesty and would only encourage terrorism and extremism. Elie Wiesel is a Nobel peace prize winner and he is absulutely right. We cannot divide Jerusalem, Jerusalem can only be a shared by all the people peaceful and every nation on the Earth . It is a holy divine city mentioned in evey holy book. All the leftist want is to destroy the harmony that existed over 3000 years of history, their false cries are subjected only to their wrong politics that has so bitterly failed in the past. The palestinian ordinary people educated and their many intellectuals have already accepted the truth that they have to live peacefully with all the people in Israel and reject their extremist and corrupt leaders and political organisations.

you call them leftists? i call them true human beings doing gods work

Since Muslims occupied it for 19 years--during which time only one Muslim leader (Abdullah I, in 1951--when he was bumped-off on orders of cowardly Haj-amin Husseini) ever visited the city. In reality, it is only "holy" to them in "manger-dog" approach. Leftists should get it through their thick skulls that Jerusalem belongs to Israel as a Jewish (and Christian) city--it never did belong to the cult of Muhamed!

He has been on the wrong side of this conflict for a long time. Imagine a Holocaust survivor being on the wrong side of this struggle and blaming the victims instead of the oppressors. It's just unconscionable in my book... Now he gets the calling of Jerusalem in ancient text wrong also and associates it with the Jews instead of many different tribes at the times. Dutch

Had the Jewish leadership in Europe followed Herzl and his Heaven sent Epiphany for an early orderly return to Israel before and during WWI, the Holocaust against the Jews and the deaths of millions of others would have been greatly lessened and WWII would have been obviated. It is time for responsible leadership everywhere, beginning with Jewish Rabbis, to make this undeniable fact known.

"vague appeals to "self-determination" are not supported by international law." Obviously UNSC resolutions which declare the annexation of occupied territory as null and void are beyond your recognition ...

It is mentioned 600 times in the Bible / Torah and not once in the Koran. For me that is not a valid argument. Even if it was mentioned a million times in the Koran it wouldn't mean it belongs to Muslims or it is holy to them. 1,500 years after Judaism and 630 after (rabbi Yeoshua) Jesus, Mohamad invented a new religion "based" on Judaism and Christianism (no copyright then). All Muslim "prophets" are Jewish prophets and kings. They want our religion? They can copy it (as if it is possible...). They want our Jerusalem? Not possible. They want their Mecca and Medina.

"... because it upholds an attachment to some other-worldly city which purports to supersede the interests of those who live in the this-worldly one." Isn't this Islamic thinking? Holding Judaism to a different standard than everyone else is not appropriate. Remember the Islamic dualistic belief system? While these people claim Jews should give-up their other wordly designs on/for the capital because its religiously baised, but Islam is allowed every excuse every reasonj to be authentic and real and honest based upon their "religious" desires. Where's the fairness of this?

Yes, in 1980 Israel declared the united Jerusalem the capitol of the State of Israel. It is the territory of Israel and Arabs living in Jerusalem have been offered Israeli citizenship. In fact, Jerusalem was always the political and spiritual capitol of Israel and Jewish People. Just follow this link and read it. http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=7&x_issue=4&x_article=1355

falafel is a good start. the heavenly happenings in Jerusalem are old news. greek and roman mythology was colorful. the same is true for the jewish, christian and islamic ones. let us get Enlightened, and enjoy good falafel, shvarma, kanafel etc together. Long Live the Enlightenment. It can save jerusalem from the fake prophets of past and present.

Jerusalem was mentioned and referred to more than five times in the Quran and hundreds of times in the holy tradition of Prophet Mohammed. Why was it mentioned more in the Bible? simple because, among other reasons, the Bible was sent to people who lived in or near Palestine.

He made the only argument he could make, but it fails to convince. The reality calls for a solution which satisfies both Israelis and Palestinians, and not some other worldly ideal.

... for forgetting Yerushalaim.

Altho I dearly love & respect Elie Wiesel, Jerusalem is NOT about just memories, if it was it would be a worse mess, each side has "memories" down thru history....it is about real estate & mutual respect...East Jerusalem must be respected as Arab, just as West Jerusalem must be respected as Israeli, this nonsense must stop, Netasnyahu is merely buying votes, & Israel is paying a high price for his shoddy leadership, he is all about power , & coalitions, not acting in Israelis best interests....

Jerusalem is mentioned more than 600 times in the Scriptures- not a single time in the Koran. This suggests that for muslims Jerusalem doesn't exist. Following his logic, Israel should be having no problem with Iran, hammas, hezbullah , the United Stated etc, since they are also not mentioned in the Scriptures- and therefore they don't exist.

propagandize about their own other-worldly Jerusalem. There is no reason for the Temple Mount to be under Palestinian control.

Everywhere one looks with regard to the notion of occupation in international law, one sees the same implicit and explicit assumption -- some country's land must be being occupied. Jordan, which annexed the land after its war with Israel and '48, has renounced their claim. This leaves the same question: what country's land is being occupied? There never has been a country called Palestine, unless one wants to go back 2,800 years to the Philistines, and their land was on the coast inside the Green line.

Sent Mr. Elie Wiesel a copy of their petition to the Israli government requesting a return of their property in Talbia and Katamon for which they hold title. A second group of Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem have also joined the Jewish public seeking to purchase homes in Talbieh and Rahavia sections of West Jerusalem. This non-Jewish group was discourged by the estates agents who told them that the neighbourhoods they were looking in were not "compatible" with interests and standards of the Jewish majority. Guess Wiesel didnt know the facts or just wasnt interested in the facts unless they ony moved in one direction.

Soon Wiesel will die and like so many blowhard old-school two-faced "us or them" racists, the younger generation will start to move past this one-dimensional image of the Jewish Experience that now prevails. I mean seriously - "One Jewish Jerusalem forever"? I know people want to believe it with a finger itching at the nuke trigger, but only an idiot makes such eternal declarations. Everyone else is smart enough to read history books, not try to write them for an ongoing self-serving political stunt.

Not allowed access their sacred sites? Do you think for one moment those leftists give a damn about accessing the Sacred Sites? They are leftists dear chum.And most probably are either atheists,or agnostics? Considering the majority marry out,with GUSTO to become accepted by their gentile friends. With Jews like them who needs enemies ha?

This is new in America and I like it. Every US president in my lifetime who has tried to stand up to Israel has not had a second term (Kennedy, Carter and Bush Sr.). AIPAC may be strong enough to take down one more disobedient POTUS but it will have to do so in full public view. The 'nightflower' is seeing too much daylight lately.

The difference is that Washington is IN the USA, whereas Jerusalem is not IN Israel.

jerusalem is far from occupied. it is a liberated city and proof is that there is no wall in its heart separating east and west. jersualem is open to all who come in peace. before 1967 it was an occupied area- result of the war of Independence, and neglected by Jordan. the Wailing Wall used for refuse and filth dumping. Indeed, while Jerusalem was occupied by Jordan, there was nothing holy in it. the synagogues were laid waste and the wailing wall was abandoned. jewish quarter streets were obliterated and any memory of jewish life destroyed. THAT WAS DURING THE OCCUPATION. since 1967 and the liberation of the city, jews have returned to it to worship and live there. but jews have never prevented other worshippers from doing so. this is the first time ever that all religions are welcomed in United Jerusalem. it is sad that jews are willing to abandon the city once more. and yet, there only certainty is that it will be destroyed as the heart of the Jewish People. ruth

Mr. Weisel is being used by a un ultra short sighted government in Tel Aviv. It is quite unfortunate that he would allow himself to spew the lies and politics of Netanyahu and Lieberman. Please do not call me a self hating Jew. Self hatred and hate from others come from short sightedness like what we see coming from the current government in Tel Aviv

Self-proclaimed "leftists" have no lesson to give to a man of Elie Wiesel's worth and dignity.

For me being an outsider it is hard to make any proper assumptions on what Weisel is saying. However, what I see written on his face is pride amongst other things and the lines of hatred of those he feels are beneath him. While the Weisels of the world have their sway, Jerusalem will be the symbol of all that is not good in man. If only the prophets were alive today, they would rebuke Weisel and the lie that underpins his whole essence of thinking.

**What I don`t understand is why, if European Jews yearned so much for Jerusalem, they didn`t get off their Russian or Polish or Hungarian a**es and head over there. Except for some periods maybe 2,000 years ago, they could have gone there any time they pleased.** --- Because, Intelligent, the Turks would have prevent them from settling the Land. And we needed Balfour as well as Hertzl before Balfour! When you dig in My Beloved Land, you only find Jewish artefacts. So what are your ASStinians - temporary guests fro centuries - doing in My Land? FYI check your spelling in your *What I don't understand...*

"Sternhell and Margalit are anti-religious ,so Holy means nothing to them" AS Wiesel is anti-religious, the position he claimed to arrive because of the Holocaust. Hamas, by contrast holds Jerusalem very Holy.

VoR: "Has East Jerusalem been formally annexed by Israel making it (from an israeli legal standpoint) part of Israel," No. Israel has never FORMALLY annexed East Jerusalem. What it has done is insist on extending ISRAELI DOMESTIC LAW to all of Jerusalem i.e. to claim "legal jurisdiction" over the city, not "sovereignty". VoR: "or does the state of Israel formally consider it to be occupied territory?" No. Definitely not. An occupying power is absolutely forbidden to apply its own domestic laws to occupied territory, and since Israel has done exactly that then Israel can not consider any part of it to be occupied. Or, in short: Israel is playing a kindergarden game of "let's pretend" w.r.t. Jerusalem. Follow this link for a very good paper on this: http://www.mepc.org/journal_vol5/9701_lustick.asp

Who are those people ? Where they have been when were our boys were fithing for us ? Mr. Wiesel is a mench. I can not understand how a Jew can say such things about the holy land. This land belongs to our people but the goim can live amound us. In the pass we couldn't live as free people in Eretz. Please keep strong and never give up againg any piece of land. Mr. Wiesel you the men! Shame on those people.

I thank the sane Jews who responded to Wiesel. Appartently, the Holocaust has taught him nothing about tolerance.

Jerusalem is not an occupied territory It is and will always be the capital of Israel, just like Washington DC is the capital of the USA.

So how can they make such a comment? They're hypocrites.

What I don't understand is why, if European Jews yearned so much for Jerusalem, they didn't get off their Russian or Polish or Hungarian a**es and head over there. Except for some periods maybe 2,000 years ago, they could have gone there any time they pleased.

These far-left wackjobs would stick up for neo-nazis as they shoot Jews in the face. They are nuts. If they ran things, Israel would disppear from Earth in about a month.

After the Arabs had finished ethnic cleansing the area in 1948 The Arabs set about treashing Synagogues and desecrated the Mount Olives cemetery.The Royal Jordanian army used headstones for pavers etc. Lefties try to blot out reality,they just ignore anything that smacks of Arab responsibilty.

To #14,observer. You indicate your city as "here" and your state as "there." I only wish people like you were everywhere. Bravo to your voice of sanity in a world that too often is incapable of seeing beyond their own experience, their own history, and their own beliefs with absolute disregard to others experience, history, adn beliefs. Maybe that is a good definition of what extremism is (and too often what fundamentalism represents as well)...a total disregard of anyone else's experience, history, and beliefs besides your own! Thank you "Observer" for posting.

Jerusalem remained holy to the Jews under Roman,Byzantium, babylonian, persian, Arab, Turk & Britsh rule. Only under wholly Jewish sovereignty does the holy City Jerusalem respect all religious sites

,just as he had obtained French passports for him and his family. Jewish State is a no-no to him. Sternhell and Margalit are anti-religious ,so Holy means nothing to them

Apparently, the "leftist activist group" that criticized the letter on Jerusalem by Elie Weisel is unaware that when East Jerusalem was under Arab occupation, all of the Jewish synagogues were destroyed and no Jew was permitted access. At present, under Israeli control, Jewish synagogues and institutions were rebuilt while the mosques and churches continue to flourish, and people of all faiths and nationality have access to them. Why would anyone want to go back to the situation before 1967?

The problem is the Palestinian Arabs' bogus claim to Jerusalem as the new capital of their projected state, and their ludicrous demands to divide the city, which is an automatic death warrant for any peace that will ever be worked out between them and Israel.

Has East Jerusalem been formally annexed by Israel making it (from an israeli legal standpoint) part of Israel, or does the state of Israel formally consider it to be occupied territory? Is there a difference in status relative to israeli citizenship between arab residents west bank and those who live in Jerusalem??? Is there a difference between arab residents of West Jerusalem and East Jerusalem relative to israeli citizenship, including voting in israeli elections, ability to relocate to other parts of Israel, etc???

Avraham Burg is a rasha gamur.

Mr. Wiesel is a survivor of the holocaust and has dedicated his life to fighting racisim and murderous dictators in this world. He has done more for humanity then anyone. Mr.Wiesel has special insights into what is happening between the United States and Israel. It would be good for the second and third geneartion children of the holocaust to listen to what he has to say.

shame on the leftists who attacked Eli Wiesel for his comments espescial shame on ex MK Burg-a disgrace to his fathers memory z"l

1 i agree zeev sternhell is a good guy 2 margalit i dont know much about. 3 avraham burg is another story altogether. when ehud barak at a labour conference had a coughing fit and avraham burg was unaware the microphone was on he said in a murmur "choke" that directed to ehud barak the comment to wiesel asking him to live in jerusalem ignores the fact that burg is an emigrant.he now lives in paris.

3And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

Israel's Leftist is right about its occupation, as our Leftists in America were right about not invading Iraq...and Iran perhaps too. Occupations always end in failure. They cost too much and eventually bankrupts the occupier.

What percentage of the rabid settler crowd hold citizenship with second nations?

Because we all know that Israel and international law/ the UN are the best of friends, particularly regarding Jerusalem.

I find it funny that everyone keeps saying that Jerusalem is never mentioned in the Quran. This is a flat out lie. It is mentioned as ?Al Quds." That is what Muslims call Jerusalem. Because it is not in English or Hebrew doesn?t mean it isn?t mentioned. As far as the city itself, fundamentalists on both sides have robbed the world of this city. It should be shared. On a side note, I am a Muslim, and I CAN NOT deny Jewish connection to the city. Any one that does is simply lying. There is a deep connection to the city for the people that have lived in and around it, be they Jew, Muslim, or Christian. It is a holy place that ALL of Abrahams children should be allowed to live, visit, and pray ANYWHERE they want. To deny a Jew from praying to the Almighty on the Temple mount/Al Aqsa, is sacrilege. When Muslims do this, they are denying the people of the book and true believers they same thing they want for themselves. Put down the guns and pick up a falafel. That day will come. Salam

Perhaps the finest statement on the reality of Jerusalem since 1967. This reflects a soul and compassion that Wiesel's so lacked. Let this statement be diseminated throughout the world!

I challenge these leftists to name a single city that serves, or has ever served, as the capital of two countries. They want Jerusalem to be the first. And why? Because the Palestinians say they want it (ignoring that they want ALL of it eventually). Yet Jerusalem has had a Jewish majority since at least 1850. And it is only under Israeli sovereignty that all faiths are able to access their sacred sites. And the suggestion that Wiesel visit Jerusalem to "see with your own eyes" is ludicrous. He's been to Jerusalem numerous times over the years since its eastern sector fell (back) into Jewish hands. I'm confident he's witnessed all those changes that so offend the left.

When some say that "as long as the city remains occupied it cannot be holy", do they mean that as long as any Jews live on the east side of Jerusalem, it cannot be holy? Since Arabs already live throughout the land of Israel (aka Palestine), why shouldn't Jews also be allow to live throughout this land as well?

I would very much like to know whose territory it is that is occupied. Certainly not the Palestinians as there is no state of Palestine and vague appeals to "self-determination" are not supported by international law.

I'm not exactly sure what Wiesel's expertise is, but this is not the only time he's been wrong. Just ask his investment adviser Bernard Madoff!

Jerusalem is holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians. In addition it has been the home to Palestinian Muslims and Christians, as well as Jews, for over a millenium. Today we see Israeli Jews that have come from Europe and North America laying seige to those areas that have been home for the Palestinians. Coupled with this confiscation of Palestinian homes has been an Israeli campaign to move Palestinians into smaller and smaller ghettos. Then the Palestinians are striupped of their farms, livelihoods and human rights. Truth is being denied by Israel. Justice is only being applied to Jewish settlers. Israel has abused the original land grant from the United Nations. It is time for Jerusalem to become an international city governed by an impartial body representing all faiths and policed by the UN. It should not be the exclusive property of Israel.

I continue to be encouraged by the Israelis who continue to pursue peace in the face of fundamentalist opposition. To the people who responded to Elie Weasel, please do not give up. We need to continue to make progress. After all, at the heart, we are all only people - mothers, fathers, friends, neighbors.

Bravo, how true.

The Arab and Islamic claim to Jerusalem is through conquest and occupation, not from history or religion. However, the left excuse the occuaption if it is doen by the enemy, and falsify the liberation of Israel as "occupation".

he spends life acting like he supports human rights but now it is clear he only cares about jewish rights.

Anyone who is thinking clearly knows, peace without sharing Jerusalem is not feasible. Palestinians from the north and south West Bank unable to visit, shop, worship, see a doctor in Al Quds? Palestinians forced to navigate the rugged roads of Wadi Naar to go from Ramallah to Bethlehem...what should take 1/2 hour, takes 2 hours now. Sharing a unified Jerusalem would be beakon of light to the entire world.

Wiesel's statement, to the extent that it isn't merely empty rhetoric, is highly political. What it says is "Jerusalem is above politics, because I am the occupying power, and I don't have to agree with anyone". Hence, it is a political statement, although one I don't think Wiesel would feel comfortable making directly.