Netanyahu: 'Heritage' list won't change West Bank status quo
PM says outrage over addition of West Bank shrines to list of heritage sites stems from a 'misunderstanding.'
By Chaim Levinson Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu Hebron Israel newsPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that his intentions in adding the two West Bank sites to the list of National Heritage sites were "misunderstood."
"There has been a misunderstanding, as we do not intend to alter the status quo, and we will maintain the freedom of worship for both the Jews and the Muslims at the sites," Netanyahu said.
"Just as we cooperated with the waqf and renovated the Muslim parts of the sites, we now want to renovate the Jewish sections as well," he added.
More than 300 Palestinians in Hebron clashed with Israeli security forces on Thursday, while commemorating the 29 Muslims killed in an attack by Jewish extremist Baruch Goldstein at the Ibrahimi Mosque 16-years ago.
Hadash chairman Mohammed Barakeh who joined the Palestinian protestors alongside some 30 more Israelis, criticized Israel Defense Forces soldiers for attacking the peaceful demonstrators, as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his recent move to add the Tomb of the Patriarchs to the list of National Heritage sites.
"Netanyahu is an expert at lighting fires, and is turning the wheel backwards by repeating his mistakes from his first term as Prime Minister," Barakeh said following the demonstration.
"The Netanyahu-Barak government is pushing towards a regional explosion in order to damage any chance of progress," he added.
IDF soldiers attempted to disband the protest by hurling smoke grenades. Barakeh said that they all suffered from smoke inhalation.
During the memorial the controversial site - the Tomb of the Patriarchs - will be open to Muslim worshippers alone.
Meanwhile, Hebron settlers commemorated the day by holding group prayers.
The IDF has beefed up its presence in the West Bank city following three days of riots protesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent move to add the Tomb of the Patriarchs, in Hebron, to the list of national heritage sites.
Following an outburst of violence in Hebron, where the tomb is located, Khaled Esseleh, the mayor of Hebron, said: "I'm hoping there won't be more clashes but this is a very sensitive religious issue, and Netanyahu just lit the fire."
Earlier, the Obama administration criticized Israel for designating two shrines in the West Bank as Israeli national heritage sites.
The criticism came as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said she hopes long-stalled peace talks between Israelis and the Palestinians will resume.
Clinton told a congressional committee that groundwork is being laid to restart the talks with the help of U.S. envoy George Mitchell. She did not say exactly when the negotiations might resume, but her remarks come amid a flurry of U.S. diplomatic activity in the region.
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One does not impose anything by quoting a UN resolution. Israel is in violation of UN resolutions 242, 452 and 465 and articles 33,49,53 and 147 of the 4th Geneva Convention: none of which are considered by the international community and international law courts, UN ICJ and the ICC in the Hague, to be pseudo-legalistic. They are as legally binding as UN 181 under which Israel declared statehood. It is irrelevant that Arabs rejected partition: Israel did not, and if partition were not enacted, there would not be a sovereign State of Israel, and the nation of Israel in the UN. When the Israelites entered Canaan, also known as Palestine, it was inhabited by (among others) the semite tribe, Jebusites. They built Jerusalem, and are thought by scholars and historians to be the forebears of the Palestinians. The first act of air piracy in history of civil aviation was conducted by Israel in 1954. The first deliberate shooting down of a civilian airliner was conducted by Israel in 1973
You are attempting to impose pseudo-legalism to tear away the Jewish heartland from its rightful owners - but even in a court of law it would fail. The partition plan was NEVER enacted! Maybe you never noticed but where is the 1948 Arab state? The Arabs rejected partition. (Don't call them Palestinians. At the time, the WHOLE mandate territory was named Palestine. Using "Palestinian" to refer to only its Arab residents spreads propaganda that Jews are not also true occupants of this land. The Arabs only started to use that label for themselves after they started blowing up airliners and slaughtering Olympians.) Jaffa, for instance, was supposedly part of the Arab state. But now you must surely know it is part of Tel Aviv? Even the so-called "Palestinians" no longer claim it. Don't claim that the borders of a non-existent Arab state - that never existed, because Arabs rejected peace & sought the whole land - justify terrorism.
You were just told this on 01/03. Do you have a retention problem? On 14 May 1948, under UN resolution 181, Israel declared statehood, with sovereignty within precisely, meticulously detailed borders dictated by the resolution. The remainder of the territory in Palestine was Palestinian. In 1967, Israel occupied the remainder of Palestine. UN resolution 242 then demanded Israel withdraw from the occupied territories. Israel has refused and is in violation of that resolution, and thus international law. Therefore, the West Bank and Gaza, and Jerusalem for that matter, are not legally part of Israel. Israeli built settlements on the occupied lands, the blockade of Gaza, collective punishment of a civilian population, and the annexation of Jerusalem are violations of articles of the 4th Geneva Convention. Breaches of the Convention are considered war crimes.
The world might wonder what "policies and statements of appeasement, goodwill gestures, and concessions," Israel has proffered toward the peace process. The 90 day freeze on settlement building, while continuing to build 3,000 housing units in the West Bank, and to place Jerusalem off limits for any building limits? Continuing the harsh and humiliating occupation in the West Bank? Maintain the near genocidal blockade over Gaza and continue the annexation of Jerusalem: both in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention and considered war crimes? Or perhaps its the continued construction of the barrier wall, which the UN International Court of Justice has declared illegal. At which one of those peace offers should the Palestinians grasp and count on for their future?
The world might wonder what "policies and statements of appeasement, goodwill gestures, and concessions," Israel has proffered toward the peace process. The 90 day freeze on settlement building, while continuing to build 3,000 housing units in the West Bank, and to place Jerusalem off limits for any building limits? Continuing the harsh and humiliating occupation in the West Bank? Maintain the near genocidal blockade over Gaza and continue the annexation of Jerusalem: both in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention and considered war crimes? Or perhaps its the continued construction of the barrier wall, which the UN International Court of Justice has declared illegal. At which one of those peace offers should the Palestinians grasp and count on for their future?
The West Bank belongs - for cultural, historical and legal reasons - as part of the Land of Israel. So it is completely natural that the Israeli government has control over the designation of heritage sites.
So now mr Netanyahu wants us to believe that even as this sites ( which are clearly in OCCUPIED territory) are declared Israeli National Heritage, this won't change a thing. Well, you know, next thing he'll make us believe that Santa Claus does exist. Ofcourse it changes it's status and Nethanyahu is all too aware of it. He is just so arrogant as to believe that he'll get away with it. I hope it's worth sparking a new intifada ( which btw I believe is in NOBODY's interest)
Assert Israel sovereignty as a deterrent impacting arabs subversions and false claims . Let IDF train and use police and border guards. Enough with the policies and statements of appeasement , goodwill gestures and concessions, the enemy irrationalism and absolutism view them as moral fatigue and weakness and opportunities for extortions.
"Israel decided to sacralize this conflict and that`s a dangereous field, don`t you think ?" We know. Jews practicing their own religion openly and increasing legitimacy of their own holy sites is offensive and dangerous. Those nasty Jews even put chairs out at the Temple Mount in 1929... Just BEGGING for the Arab Palestinians to launch a murderous riot against them. Maybe next time Muslims enshrine a site, they should have riots launched against them? You're such a putz.
Rather this problem of his own making than trying to halt settlement expansion which he doesn't want to do anyway...
Netanyahu lit a fire by digging a tunnel under the Temple Mt. under cover of Nacht und Nebel - Sharon lit a giant conflagration with his - plus 1000 police - visit to the Temple Mt. - Bibi now merely follows in the footsteps as an arsonist. A leopard can't change his spots. David
But if Bibi's got quiet, he reckons he can add just another straw or two to the camel's back. And when that doesn't make the beast buckle at the knees, how about another one, and another? The pundits were wrong. Bibi doesn't learn from his own mistakes. And neither did our electorate. There is a large gap here in Israel, for a leader who really wants peace. It doesn't really matter if that person is from the right or from the left. The purpose is a genuine attempt at reaching out and making peace with our Middle Eastern neighbours. We are no better than our neighbours, let us at least try not to be worse.
these sites are holy to at least 3 religions and are in palestine therefor cannot be 'israheli heritage' w/o war....the status quo has been altered by bibi purposely to avoid peace talks
THESE ARE OUR RELIGIOUS SITES. They belong to the Jews and Israel. Get off our backs you foreigners. Stop sticking your noses in our affairs. Enough. We will even take care if the dome of the rock for the terrorists... OKAY!!??? Wow! YOU ARE ALL NUTS!
when you add something into a jewish heritage thats different. when you Add something into a NATIONAL heritage thats called Annexation. ofcourse Zionists dont Know the difference between Judiasm and NATIONALISM
Please have peace and learn how to spell the word too. Not now Mr. Net! Not now! You got so many problems on your hand now. The last thing you need is a new Intifada.
I don't think muslims have waited for your enlightening posts from Milwaukee to be creative and have their own heritage. Perhaps you should pay a visit to Istambul, Tunis, Marrakech, Damascus or Cairo (not to mention other places) to see that by yourself. You have difficulties hiding your islamophobia Jasper ? or is it pure ignorance ? Israel decided to sacralize this conflict and that's a dangereous field, don't you think ?
As soon as Arab Muslims learn to give other religions the same respect that they demand for themselves, there will be peace.
... creatively establish their own Muslim Heritage Trail? Why is their first reaction to anything concerning religion always, always violence?
Carefully planned to set off these riots. That's his plan...incite, incite incite and his timing for doing so is impeccable. Chickens coming home to roost as the friends of Goldstein gloat and carry out more of ther terrorism against Hebronites in the name of security and "heritage".
All sights in any part of Israel should be Jewish herritage and under State protection. There is nothing new with palestinian riots as they very well know their very temporary status there. Palestinians managed to so much alienate main stream Jews that they found themselves solidly without any support(with usual exception of arab rogue states and mundane bunch of vicious antisemites).
are more or less closed to "infidels" That means anybody who is not Moslem. Jewish holy sites were closed to Jews prior to 1967. Since 1967 holy sites within Israel are OPEN to all the world's faiths.
need to be protected from the Palis. They did such a fine job with the synagogues in Gaza.
Bring in thousands of jewish visitors each month .
change your policy Israel.
end the occupation NOW, or there will be more bloodshed
And that's why the Israelis were with them- to egg them on. Use an iron fist.
Including the land of Judea and Samaria that King David united w/ Israel over 3,000 years ago.