For Jerusalem, a response to Elie Wiesel

Just by endorsing current Israeli government policies, distinguished Eli Wiesel has enterered politics on the front stage. There`s a risk to link his unique life`s mission to the political US vs US pro Israel lobby arm wrestling politics and manipulation. Eli Wiesel, and by extension his tremendous work, risks loosing the Integrity upon which their respective moral clout is built. Some deplore the current offensive exposure of the pro-Israel lobby and pressure we all witness these days. Eli Wiesel now joins this framework. It hurts.

I would suggest that Sarid open the Israeli branch of J Street. His viewpoint fits very well with the Leftist American cretins

You put stress on politics for solving problems. How do you expect the Israel/Arab issue to be resolved with the Arab political mentality of Hate and Kill the Jew and get Israel off the world map ?? Why didn"f Jordansolve PA problems when it had the opprtunity but instead killed about 10,000 Arabs and kicked them out of Jordan. Why did Jordan destroy all Jewish identity in Jerusalem?

Kol hakavod to Yossi Sarid: we need his sensible and responsible voice more than ever!

You write, "As if our diplomatic quarrels weren't enough, the worst of our enemies would be glad to dress this epic conflict in the garb of a holy war. We had better not join ranks with them, even if unintentionally." I must agree. Invoking ancient texts, despite their centrality in the conflict, is not necessarily productive. Yet you finish your article by quoting God's command to Abraham, "to 'Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it.'" Perhaps you need to review your article before publishing. Your conflicting statements demonstrate rashness more unprofessional than your condescending tone towards Elie Wiesel.

Really ,then how come Sudan is allowed to fix elections Muslim style and the butcher allowed to walk free after gross human rights violations,where,s the international law in progress ?

Israel the Jewish state ,Hebrew the spoken Jewish language of that state,are you still confused Lance ?

Excellent post AMD i couldn,t have said it better ?

CJ from Sydney has completely lost his mind as Jordan was promised by the British mandate of May 1948 to the Palestinians just as Syria was promised by the French mandate in the 1920,s to the locals already inhabiting the region then ,so Jordan is and will continue to be the Palestine state ,but the occupying Hashemites now reside there thanks to the corrupt Arab conman Yassir Arafat who sold his state for billions in taxpayers dollars ?

AZ: "Elie Wiesel lived in the thick of it & he must be right. Yossi Sarid never even came nearer to it and he can`t be right." Sooooo, Wiesel suffered. Ergo, he must be righteous. Sarid never suffered. Ergo, he can not be righteous. Hmmmmm, I think you'll find there is something seriously wrong with you logic. It is undeniably true that a male gynacologist has never experienced child-birth. Does that mean he has no idea how to deliver babies? And it goes without saying that no female doctor has ever had prostate cancer. Does that mean her ideas on how to treat it must be wrong?

Mr Sarid has written a very revealing,informed account of the problem. I enjoyed his article. There can be no peace in the mid-east, until the palestinians are treated with repect, and have control over their own lives. Our president is trying to be fair, but he must be fair to both, not just Israel. I hope Israel will soon elect leaders who truly want peace and security in the region, and who follow the golden rule.

I've always admired Mr. Wiesel for his talent sensitivity & honesty. But, like all human beings, I think that Elie has made a serious error! As an old Zionist who supported the cause way before the state was established permit me to remind him of the following: !. A large segment of the Ultra Orthodox were against the establishment of a Jewish State because they were waiting for Meshiach. 2. In some cases, these same people enlisted the support of our then enemies. 3. These people as well as their offspring refused, to join or fight in the armed forces 4.American Jewish tourists were not welcomed in the Orthodox areas frequently experiencing insults. There are many other items that I can mention including the present Prime Minister Prime Minister who is standing in the way of peace.

Yossi Sarid never even came nearer to it and he can't be right. The left are living in a theorized illusion; the wilderness where there is nothing to harvest except disappointments.

Thank you Mr. Sarid for your excellent article to Eli Wiesel. I did not read his article but I agree with every word you wrote. We have enough trouble without adding to it by throwing Arabs out of their homes and building flats for Jews to live there,especially for groups who belong to those Jews who burn our flag because they are waiting for the Messiah. All fanatics should be stopped as they support hatred and cause suffering to others. All those supporting them are guilty of continuing the war between Israel and Palestine. Rational people should not help them achieve their goal.

On which side is Yossi standing? If he wants to quote "history" it seems to me he is in the camp of the "Roman sympathizers, Herodians", who as we all know do not exist today. But since he leaves out the Jewish context he misses the whole point (we are not like other nations and do not know G-ds full plan).

Dear Yossi (if I may) I am living at the French Hill (still a secular neigbourhood) in Jerusalem and I can see the hundreds of buildings build around us in Shuafat and Issawiye unhindered (I don't say they should be) with not the slightest sign of any destruction of buildings. Issawiye was once a village of one floor houses; it has now almost exclusively buildings of 4, 6, 8 floors all around; and a whole new quarter of the same size of houses is linking it to Shuafat. Have you seen them? Is it not the same thing in the other Arab neibourghoods around Jerusalem? Don't they have their own "American friends" who fund these constructions (or is the hailed "new prosperity" of the West Bank enough to pay for it?) N. B.: As a secular Jew, I have not the slightest sympathy for Elie Wiesel

Yossi Sarid is the pure voice of the true Zionists & Humanists who established the State of Israel. The Zionist dream is as Herzl wrote: a modern state for the Jewish people, which prosper in democracy & peace within itself, as with its Arab neighbours. As fourth generation in Israel, I think that Elie Wiesel still lives in a Jewish Ghetto, and in fact refuse any acknowledgment of his neighbours rights and every one's future! The only path is a compromise between dreams and reality - and it includes Jerusalem! Let divide the city (other option is that Armenian & Jewish quarters, include Kotel square will be under Israeli authority, and Cristian & Muslim quarters, include Mount Temple will be under Palestinian authority) - and sign a historical peace agreement for ourselves - Jews & Arabs, and for the future of our next generations....

Refering to Obama: "On the contrary, let's allow him to use his clout to save us from ourselves". We Americans put our trust in him and look where its got us. He wont save his own country, let alone Jerusalem. The muslims have no care for jerusalem in a spiritual sense. They only fight for jerusalem because they know the love jews have for Israel and jerusalem. Muslims can not accept the fact jews are living a dream, life in jerusalem. A 2,000 year wish come true. The jews are 1 step away from being re-united with god when the temple is rebuilt and Satan/Islam knows it. Jerusalem isnt even mentioned in the Koran, it only mentions the furtherest mosque during mohammeds night vision and it was assumed it meant jerusalem. FACT IS, Dome of the Rock nor AL-Aqsa mosques were built during the time of the night vision. Look it up yourselves. Islams war for jerusalem is just an evil agenda against gods people being carried out by the muslims PERIOD.

and each of the others utilized by Wiesel - with a photograph highlighting each point of Yossi's extraordinarily pragmatic rebuttal. With all due respect to Haaretz's excellent publication, Yossi's response is rendered largely moot without it being exposed to the same audience, and by the same means as Wiesel's. This would present an excellent opportunity to fully open the eyes of many Americans who are otherwise beguiled and blinded by misleading Zionist representations of the truth like Wiesel's.

Yossi Sarid wrote : "...let's allow him (Barack Obama) to use his clout to save us from ourselves,..." Yossi Sarid your are not yet out of Egypt. The sentence above was used by the catholic Inquisition to burn the Jews to save their soul. This terrible sentence is always used to dictate unbearable terms. Jews are not a stupid people and the Arabs neither. The problem you hide behind your leftist dialectic is the will of Islam to destroy the Jewish People. For sure, the day when Arabs correct their Holy Coran and aims, things will change. Left leaders say always : you make peace only with your ennemy. False ! After WW2, we did'nt make peace with the nazis but with democratic germans. The same in Japan. The same with Anoaur Al Sadate. Please don't mislead the Jews with old leftdialectic. Charles Frajlick

GIVE THE ARAB DISTRICTS OF PARIS TO THE ARAB SO. GIVE THE JEWISH DISTRICT OF ROMA TO THE JEWS. assign the holy vatican and the holy mecca to an international authority

yossi sarid's letter is very naive it is a view which holds the jews fully accountable for everything and the arabs not- It is unfortunate on the memorial day for our soldiers that yossi sarid views jerusalem is a mini vietnam of course it would be great if the arabs were poor peace seeking people tibetians but in fact an arab control over a territory has always meant danger for the jewish population without exception so can you please all the people all the time? apparently not there is a reason why my father and others had fought in 1948 and 1967 and the reason still exists the arabs are unwilling to accept a jewish presence there are exceptions but as long as hamas rules one can not compromise israel's security or we will become a sarid, a small left over minoriy scattered in diaspara away from our land that is the sad reality someone has to protect the jews and yossi sarid is way too cynical to do that we need eli wiesel to say it in a clear voice to obama and friends, no !

By his provocative use of the word "Gods", just 8 short lines into his article, Sarid has demonstrated his total lack of understanding of the sensitive relationship between the different monotheistic religions in Israel. As such he shows how unqualified he is to make any comment. So it takes special patience to read his drivel beyond that eighth line.

Yes, life is is more important than anything els,to have freedom ,is more important than anything els, the right to speak without fear is more important, but with these rights ,goes repect,and you went to low, i stand by what i said on my post.

Yossi Sarid is right in what he says. Do we really want a bunch of Zealots and greedy businessmen to take down the country and all of us with them? It is, sadly, happening anyway. History is repeating itself.

it must be published in the New York Times, Washing Post, and other US newspapers. I hope that it will be.

"I Agree 100% We Must Share Jerusalem" - Jane from Palm Beach You realize that your statement proves you are an anti-Semite and an Arab Lover. "he fact of the matter is that Jerusalem is indeed holy to the three world religions and is unique in its value to peacefully co-exist with each other." - Jane I understand. The place is holy to three religions and if any religion seeks to exclude the others then all hell is the price to be paid. "Our emotional attachment is not a good excuse any more for discriminating against Muslims there or elsewhere." - Jane I hear you. But Israel hears only the extreme right.

Very clever and witty. And hitting the nail right on the head. Thanks very much.

Dear Yossi, I read your response to Mr. Wiesel's letter. It really touches the core issue of humanity and makes you think after all what is the purpose of continuing hatred between for generations to come. Why is IT that followers of two great religions can't engage each other to live in peace and tranquility. Your article should be published by every new paper and made available to every one to understand the basic principles of humanity and how to choose to live in peace and not live in fear. I hope this article touches many hearts to think and act in a manner that will bring whole peace to that holy land. MB

Two Jerusalem's ? Let see if I get it??? The Palestineans want to be 'keepers of the Arab Quarter', so then the Sunni's & Shi'ites both Persian, Saudia, Iraqi, Indonesian are all OK with this?? The Paleatineans also get the Christian Quarter...so the Catholics, Baptist, Prodestant, Morman, Lutheran...are all OK with Muslim control??? Then I would also assume that North Bethlehem's old Jewish Quarter would be part of Israel & so would Jerico's Jewish Quarters. Jewish Quarters exist thru out Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Persia...Then would these also be returned to Israel Control???? Germany would want Prussia back & Greece will want Constantinople returned, Spain was humiliated at San Jancino...so Texas is returned to Spain???, the Sarr to Germany, the Kurds get back Kirdistan......hey I betcha there are a lot of Countries that would all like to get in on this Land transfer.....

The reality is that European Jews such as Weisel from Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe as well as Europe in general are not from the Middle East nor are they descendants of the Prophet Abraham nor decendants of the ancient Hebrews of the Bible.  They are descendants of the Khazar people of eastern Europe who converted en masse to Judaism between the 9th and 11th centuries. This is a historic fact and DNA analysis clearly shows that European Jews like Weisel are not descendants of the Hebrews of the Bible nor even a Semitic people but are of Slavic origin. By contrast both Christian and Muslim Palestinians are the direct descendants of the ancient Hebrews of the Bible who converted to either Christianity or Islam, and DNA analysis shows this also. As such while European Jews can practice Judaism as converts, they are neither a Semitic people nor of Hebrew origin nor from the Middle East period. Hence  Israel demands recognition as a 'JEWISH' state instead of as a 'HEBREW' state.

Sarid should show how really altruistic he personnally is ,not peddling something in what he doesn't believe and what he ,and old Stalinist has combatted all his life-Judaism.

Both jews and muslims have proven they are not worthy to have absolute control over this "larger than life" holy city.

- where did you get that from? (both are genuinely jewish, btw.) aren't you slightly suffering from some conspiracy-theory/paranoia syndrome, when referring to the alleged 'scheming' of the catholic church? the vatican is among those having taken the clearest position as to a revision of policies & views of the christian churches towards the jews & judaism in the past (incl. a position & attitude towards the state of israel, i think).

The only reason Jerusalem figures in the Christian and Muslim relgions is because it was a holy site for the Jews previously. Omar built a Mosque their to honor the holiness of the site and the Christian religion got it's start as a Jewish movement. If some group Mexico started worshipping Abraham Lincoln as a profit, would that mean they have an equal claim to Washington DC as Americans do.

"liars" etc is no good for anyone.keep it courteous. the armistice agreement in 1949 made plain that the cease fire did not stop claims on land and settlements by either side. so those in possession of jerusalem are now the owners.unless we have a new war and are dislodged. that is probably unlikely. meanwhile screaming cursing spitting and rage is probably unhelpful.besides it takes away from your argument.

POINT brought facts out thst occurred 2000 yesrs ago. Lets live in modern day history. When Jordan controled area about 50 years ago did they allow Jews to pray at the wall. WE must learn from modern day history. Why should we trust anyone that wants to distroy Israel

Let me see if I get this right; to Muslims Jerusalem represents subjugation and invasion. I suggest you speak to some Muslims about this and get back to us

Whose voice should be listened to? A man who survived man's inhumanity to man and who not only lived to tell about it movingly but also managed to maintain his humanity in the face of such evil. Or to the voice of a cynical political hack who never has anything good to say about anybody particulary if he disagrees with the other's position. The choice is the readers'.

The treacherous Yossi Sarid will rue the day when the German-Jesuit jackboot stomps Jerusalem, brutally betraying both Arabs and Jews for the Roman Catholic cult that covets Jerusalem as the crown for its final revival of the "Holy Roman Empire."

I think Eli Wiesel is a hypocrite for still claiming to be Jewish when he's an atheist, but the Israeli authorities who repeat the mantra about "freedom of access" to religious sites in Jerusalem are liars since the Nazi Muslims are enabled to daily discriminate against Jews and Christians upon the TEMPLE Mount.

Very on the mark.

You have to visit to know what I mean and I am not religious. It is for every religion and all peoples. It reeks of history and one can't help be in awe when walking in the old city. Jordan left it in ruins and Israel made it beautiful again. Just look at old photos and those taken today.

Israel doesn't have the status of America, Russia, China or Iran in the UN and you don't have to be so rude to an old lady of 70. The UN is an overbloated, expensive organization, totally useless and gets worse by the year.

Nothing to do with Israel ,he was surrounded by Italian Catholics. He didn'r really believe in the future ,did he ?

How low can you still go,?? absolute sweden,give your opinion about Sarid article, thats fine, after all, all is fair in love and war, but to get to this point of insult is too much even for you, repect is good and we like it!!!!.

"For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns." - Isaiah 62:1 Elie Wiesel's ad, titled "For Jerusalem", was obviously meant to evoke the famous verse of Isaiah quoted above. The irony is that Isaiah was considering a "righteous" Jerusalem, for which he would not remain silent. But this is not the situation today, and Isaiah would have remained silent today by his own criterion. Only in recent days did we hear about a case of corruption unequal in the history of the State, which might end up with former PM Olmert sent to jail. Sarid brings another case of non-righteousness, Sheikh Jarrah. Arab refugees of 1948 who were given a dwelling in a formerly Jewish house of East Jerusalem, were ordered to be evicted by a court order. The court follows Israeli law, but Israeli law is different for Jews and Arabs (even Arab citizens). Jews can return to their former propert, but Arabs who did not stay on their property in 1948 lost their right to it.. "Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them." - Isaiah 1:23

Mr. Sullivan, I appreciate your mentioning of Mr. Primo Levi of Turino/ Italia in the context of subject matter.

........if Israel's God is only for Israel.

"As I remember it was originally the UN of which Iran is a permanent member." What a daft remark! All members, including Israel, are permanent members. The UN represents all independent states. Do you really think that Israel should decide which states to exclude? This is your usual blend of ignorance and arrogance.

- of this not being that much a religious issue /in fact not at all, but rather a purely territorial one. one can claim territory as much as one wants on religious grounds, but this is not how things happen in history anymore & it's not how the state of israel has come about in the first place either. that's the whole problem w/'messianic claims' on both sides. betlehem was definitely historically a jewish place, but it simply fell on the arab side of the division line of -47 & was indeed inhabited by arabs & not jews, as it is today. even hebron w/all its central importance to judaism has been 'abandoned' as part of the oslo accords (& later wye accords by notably bibi himself!). what are you gonna do w/these facts, as w/the one of several hundred thousands arab jerusalemites who arguably belong in the city? the only argument left is the one of security, but that's not an unsurmountable one.

BZ,(Article: correctly points out that the Arab residence were in since 1948,Interesting year for them to have moved in. What happened in 1948??) Well, I tell you what happened in 1948, they were expeled from what it is now Israel, and by the way they still have the kies to thier houses, would you let them return to thier houses in Haifa or Aka, etc.

...it's no surprise he's picked Lieberman for political advice. Weisel always falls for the superficial guys with the forked tongue...

If my party won three seats (out of 120), the minimum allowable by Israeli law, I might also be looking for a foreign power to impose its will on the people who rejected me. But would that make me a believer in democracy? Most decidedly not!

Secularism is Israel's only hope for peace, that religious perspective is what overcharged the Arab world with fundementalism, Israel can shift from religious to secularism as a salvation for the middle east

Sarid's allegation that ""Arab residents in Sheikh Jarrah, having lived there since 1948, who are again being uprooted and made refugees because certain Jews are chafing from Jerusalem's space constraints"" is sheer demagoguery, since the Arabs are not evicted by force, but are very well paid for their piece of real estate. Those who wish to sell property to JEWS (what a blasphemy !) should be free to do so.

The man who lost his fortune to Madoff, now falls pray to another charlatan - Bibi. Poor Elie Wiesel was duped by The Bib into writing a letter to his "good friend" President Obama, imploring him to lay off Jerusalem, mainly for the sake of The Bib's coalition. Sad, considering Elie Wiesel probably didn't even receive payment for this service.

As it happens, to me NO place is holy; God is everywhere and no one place is that special. However, as far as Jerusalem is concerned, I think (to both sides) its value is symbolic. To Muslims it represents just another invasion and subjugation.

Well written, but will any one pay to have Sarid's response published in Washington Post, Wall Street Journal,International Herald Tribune, the New York Times and other major publications.

It reads 'resident'. It has an entirely different meaning. If someone claims Jerusalem means 'nothing to Muslims' he is indeed a liar. 'Risible rot' is far too kind a description of such unsubstantiated drivel. Would you like to 'substantiate' it for the bigot? Until you[or shlomzion, erwin, judea or god knows who else you will think of before the day is out] have something worthwhile to say?

needs peace

Wiesel romantcises even whilst he distorts.An achievement of sorts in itself. He romantcises by ascribing supernatural attachment to Jerusalem for Jews alone regardless most Jews know little of the biblical history in any detail and even less of the rabbinical attachment to Jerusalem. At the same time he dismisses others equally superstitious mythologies on Jerusalem and invents a few new mythologies of his own [Arabs can build anywhere in Jerusalem]. This fits Wiesel's typical approach very well. Aggrandise the myth which he identifies with[Jerusalem as a gift from god to the Jews] attaching mystical significance which defies investigation or analysis[same with his view on Holocaust] yet applying disreputable stats[no mention in quran] to diminish any claim to the city by others. He is the very antithesis of a scholar, more of an artiste. Perhaps even a 'con artiste'.

How very true, and how sad that a man of Elie Wiesel's stature has deteriorated into the Israeli party line of oppression and repression of the Palestinians.

"Why tackle the most complex and sensitive problem prematurely? Why not first take steps which will allow the Israeli and Palestinian communities to find ways to live together in an atmosphere of security. Why not leave the most difficult, the most sensitive issue, for such a time?" - Wiesel The attempt to delay the inevitable is the worst part of the Wiesel letter. The Palestinians are under occupation for about 43 years now, which is also the time Jerusalem was "united". Jerusalem was "united" under "security" for most of this time. Nevertheless, Jews and Arabs don`t like to live together. So please stop the fantasy, Mr. Wiesel. Even if Jerusalem is the most difficult issue, the time for discussing it has already come. The other big issues are practically all resolved: Refugees - only a symbolic number will return to Israel. Territory - subject to some territorial exchange, some 98% at least will go the the Palestinians (as offered by Barak and Olmert). You can`t wait until Moshiach comes because there is no Moshiach, it is only a myth, regardless of what you find in some Rebbes` sayings. Time to move on, Mr. Wiesel. And instead of criticizing your President Obama, better criticize our Israeli PM Netanyahu who only wants to delay, and delay, and delay, and..

The Wiesel family, of religious and even Hasidic stock, stayed in Hungary rather than try to return to Zion and help build i,t, not following the vision of another Hungarian Jew, Theodor Herzl.. It didn't matter to them that Zion is mentioned so many hundreds of time in the Bible, they preferred the Hungarian reality. Of course, I don't blame Elie Wiesel for this; he was not old enough to make such a decision. But then came the Holocaust, and the Nazis shipped Elie out of his town to Auschwitz. That reality was not comfortable at all. Miraculously, Elie survived the ordeal. so where did he go then? Not to Zion, but settled in France. Let us say that he needed some time to recover. But in 1955, 10 years after the War, Elie was ready to move on, so he went to the.. US and settled there for good even though that country is not mentioned even ONCE in the Bible. Elie, you know exactly the difference between dream and reality. The dream could be fantastic but YOU followed reality and not the dream. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? For the sake of your dream you are willing to deny others (the Jerusalem Arabs) their reality, as long as nothing interferes with your own comfortable reality.

am. The Christians wanting to "share Jerusalem" have abandonned Betlehem where "it's the N'th holliest place in Islam" doesn't wash

A handful of peace prizes have been given to participants in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, but there has never been peace and currently peace is farther away than ever. Others that have received the peace prize have been notable failures in making peace. Perhaps the name of that prize should be changed to something more appropriate.

In the Tzar's quest to be a world religious leader with Constantinople as his headquarters, innumerable lives were lost. When Russian communists won the Revolution, and followed atheism as their ideology, they gave up the quest for Constantinople. This kind of solution won't happen between Jews and Christians and Muslims today who still believe in God. I agree instead of Jerusalem being the site of PEACE, it is the site of war and conflict. A secular solution could be found, I guess, an agreement to share the Holy sites, like a EU-type of agreement, where individual differences could be maintained, but contested areas shared by mutual agreement.

As an outsider it appears to me that Jews atittude to Jerusalem is that they don't care about whether it stays or it goes.... Muslims act as though Jerusalem is everything to them...and we know it is not. I think the one who wants it more will get it. Jews should already have built their third temple.

It is sometimes now that I came to realise that Elie Wiesel is not worthy of whatever Nobel Prize he received. He is a champion of himself and his people (to which i happen to belong) -only in accordance to his understanding, and of nobody else. Nothing universal in his message. In fact, he doesn't shy from distorting truths for the sake of furthering the ambitious and selfish causes he choses to espouse. Mr Wieasel was not 'misled into believing' anything. He is actively misleading others. Israel will do much better heeding the advise of honest people like Mr Sarid and Mrs Aloni rather than false prophets like the gang of alien phoneys of the sort of Mr Wiesel, Mr -deodorised- Lauder, Mr Shckaranski, and advocate of lost causes Mr Dershowitz.

I always cringe whenever I hear Elie Wiesel or Natan Sharanski being described as human rights activists. They are only "Jewish Rights" activists as they only fight for Jewish issues. After coming from the USSR, Shranski became a right winger and an advocate for more dispossession of the Palestinians - almost an ethinc cleanser. Wiesel is no better.

... for 'mass consumption'... hence the negative responses, among the very positive...

It is his venemous deep rooted hatred for the Jewish Religion cloaked by his "universal concerns for other religions" that prompts him to write this worthless article. Nothing new in Jewish history to have these kind of people. Self hating Jews that have lost the spine to stand strong against the Jewish mutations called "other religions".

Even if every one of his contentions about the treatment of Palestinians in Jerusalem is right, his wrong conclusion that may be drawn from his article is that politics call for letting Jerusalem or part of it become the capital of a future Palestinian state.Elie Wiesel may not take into account down to earth politics but Yossi takes a false & dangerous view of the long term political objectives of the majority of the Palestinians & the majority of the Moslems of the world which is to deny Israel the right to existence. Is Yossi blind & deaf to the promises of future genocide coming from Iran & from elsewhere which entertain the hope of Palestinians & prevents any true concessions & coexistence? Can he not see that splitting Jerusalem would only give the first step of legitimacy for Palestinians to claim everything else at a later more favourable time?

Wiesel's open letter is a sad testimony to the decline of a towering figure of world Jewry from the last century. The charitable interpretation is that Mr Wiesel simply doesn't understand the present-day reality of non-Jews in Jerusalem, perhaps due to unreliable and biased sources. The less charitable interpretation is that he actually doesn't care and is only interested in furthering the propaganda agenda of AIPAC, the settlers and Bibi's extreme right-wing government.

You wrote a perfect response to Elie Wiesel. His ideas were always those expressed in his last letter , now it is even more clear what he believes. It is sad coming from a man like him.

Jerusalem is unlike any other city in the world. It has been throughout its history. No sensible person would deny the profound connexion between it and Jewish history and the Jewish people. But that does not contain Jerusalem, it does not sum it up. It is a vital thread that is deeply connected to Christian and Muslim history and sentiment. To deny that connexion is to be ignorant of the history of those two great religioins. If Israel is not political (and I believe it is on one level and not on another) then it is meant to stand apart from all other places on earth and that is as a living symbol of the potential of peace, of coexistence and a truly golden city. At pressent it is a city of stone, of tribal triumphalism, of contempt for the other and territorial conflict. It has always been meant to be better thna that but has seldom ever achieved it. As for freedom of holy sites, please read the statments of the religioius fanatics who long to restore the Temple on Temple Mt.

Reading this not only made me proud to be a jew but hopeful that there may be peace even in my lifetime (and I am 33) - Yossi is my role model. AMEN

bravo .Mr Sarid . i respect elie wiesel ,but i disagree with his letter . once,he wrote,that because he was not living in israel he abstained himself from criticizing israel government . i understand his position . he refers to jerusalem ,as a dream . but we don't live in a dream . reality is harsh nowadays . the middle east conflict must be solved . it seems that predident obama has 2 eyes and 2 ears. we must help him start a dialogue based on respect.

I definitely think Sarid wrote a masterful rebuttal in prose and substance to the nonsensical claims made by Wiesel's "open letter" to Obama. My view is, Jews will have to decide on which is more important to them, to have this delusion "Jerusalem is the undivided eternal capital of the Jewish people" or to be the "eternal people" once again? There was a time the slogan of the "eternal people" reigned supreme. now real estate has taken it's place. As Sarid points out, life is more important than memories or myths? Jerusalem has always been a pluralistic multi-ethnic city. To ignore that reality and insist on it being "Jewish" only and implementing policy of Judaization that goes against history will only invite a repeat of the past tragedies filled in Jewish history. Nothing will galvanize the Muslim world against Israel more than continued provocations in Jerusalem by the hard right regime of Netanyahoo. The Muslims will respond to Judaization with their own of Islamization - already funds in the billions are aimed for that purpose from Gulf states. Iran undoubtedly loves to see Israel continue with it's provocations in Jerusalem - and now Turkey is riled by such actions. You don't want to awaken the sleeping giant - but knowing Zionists - the Masada complex rules!!

and I have come to believe it must be on the table for discussion at the start of negotiations rather than in the final status talks becase it is key to true peace in the region. We Jews can continue to say "we were first" all we want but it is simply irrelevant in 2010. The fact of the matter is that Jerusalem is indeed holy to the three world religions and is unique in its value to peacefully co-exist with each other. Our emotional attachment is not a good excuse any more for discriminating against Muslims there or elsewhere.

Brilliant essay -- would that Israel's policy was based on such clear thinking. Everyone who loves Israel and Jerusalem should send this article to all their friends in Israel and the USA.

I agree with Yossi Sarid. I have been more and more disappointed in the last times by Wiesel?s political and humanitarian views. Few years ago, I was shocked to listen to a speech of him in Italy, full of noble and pained words mentioning each people?s suffering around the world, but not even one world about what was happening in the territories!

"Clearly, Wiesel was called upon by the zionist propagandists to propagandise for the cause." I happen to disagree with Wiesel regarding his views on Jerusalem but neither you nor I know what prompted him to pen his message. "Clearly" nothing; he may have been self motivated - you don't know and your slinging of acusastions and innuendo is shameful. If you have proof then I suggest you provide it - have you no shame at long last

I consider this to be an insightful article in which the points made are difficult to dismiss in view of that city's troubled status today.

elie wiesel is definitely not a nobody, but maybe this is not really his issue. you've got to acknowledge sarid knows more of what he's talking about when it comes to jerusalem. but everybody has his shortcomings. to claim that "nothing is above politics", well, it depends - some moral & other issues should be & definitely could. indeed, 'jerusalem being holy to everyone' isn't really the issue here. the religious concerns could be well taken care of under several possible 'regimes' of the city. the main thing remains you've got 2 peoples living here & you can't just throw one out /subdue it. you also can't wait w/solving this till some imagined 'afterwards'. but it does matter jerusalem is & was a jewish city, just as athens is greek & rome is not. it just may not be allowed to completely determine how to handle the relevant politics of today. de facto, it's not jewish only anymore. it also matters to say that it will take some really 'warm' peace to divide it & make it work.

Yossi Sarid who don't want to see the truth is one of them ! Asking israel to be a normal state is madness itself ! Those who wants israel to be normal, must ask israel enemies first ! Yssi Sarid whoever he is, must be from that group of people who are "deceived by some".(his words). Israel is living in the 'black heart of its enemies'. (well,barely living). Equality was denied israel by all those who surrounded her and by many others, in the four corners of the planet ! Asking israel to be normal with those who are praying for its demise must be an absolute madness to sanity. The city of peace belong to those who loved her and kept faith with her to return since its destruction & creation; when occupied their hearts from the first stone used to build her. Elie Wiesel is one of those ! Yossi Sarid is not ! A fact of life that separate true love from the realities that doesn't work; in this age where some people are living in the false shadow of the truth.

Apparently not all Israelis are fanatics. Sarid is an example of one who is quite rational. Weisel, on the other hand, appears to be the fanatic. Israel is attempting to turn Jerusalem into just another settlement, driving out arabs who have lived there for generations and moving in a lot of nouveau jews in their place. It's worked in the West bank; why not Jerusalem too--goes the sinister plot!

Thank you Yossi Sarid. You rekindle any hope I may have lost in this country.

apart from abuse there is nothing in your post.

So good, so wonderfull and right your words yossi Sarid. I thank you a lot to help me to make clearer my thought, and feel that my responsability is to be sure that I will not be sure until any arab inhabitant of Jerusalem be so.

This golden piece by Sarid may form the nucleus of Israel's long awaited Constitution. Bravo!

?liar. No need to read beyond the 3rd line to see it either. "Jerusalem - which, as Elie points out, has utmost SIGNIFICANCE for Jews and NONE for the Muslims" CK Liar[Tan] No significance for the hundreds of thousands of Muslims who live there and the millions who have claimed it as their capital. Why not? CK Liar says so. What risible rot from the resident bigot.

One of the few people that has the guts to speak the truth, well done Mr Sarid !

what dogma sends you to kill muslims in the middle east? is afghanistan ancestral american land?is karachi claimed by washington?what is it about somalia that attracts you.and yemen what is your dogma on yemen?

no dogma.three hundred thousand jews live in judea and samaria.we do not travel thousands of miles from our homes to kill assorted iraqis afghans pakistanis somalis yemenis.killing them by the tens of thousands. no we defend our homes at our gates in the jewish homeland.

its at my bedside.it tells us that the agreement was signed by jordan and israel in 1949 "without prejudice to future settlements or boundary lines" so we do not occupy land.we live on jewish land.

"Arab residents can build if they have a permit" Have you talked to an Arab who has been trying to get a permit to build in Jerusalem, lately? They can't get one. You need to read more.

while his australian brethren chase lebanese on the beaches of sydney trying to beat them up.

It is clearly Sarid who isnt familiar with the earthly Jerusalem. For it is the Jews who are forbidden to pray or go up in groups to the Temple Mount. The only people who are restricted and impeded are the Jews. Sarid then goes on to talk about the Shimon HaTzaddik neighbourhood. Has he forgotten that his bastion of justice in this country -the Supreme court, after many years of court battles, ruled in favour of the Jews? Are their rulings only acceptable when they favour the Arabs? A little consistency Sarid please!!!! Instead of talking about the Sicarii, maybe Sarid should be reminded of the Hellenists who knew not Jewish roots in this land or Jewish heritage and even those earlier rebels who followed Korach. Arabs move into Jewish neighbourhhods, so why cant Jews purchase and live in old Jewish neighbourhoods, even if they are Arab neighbourhoods today? Sarid, sadly only talks about separation and not coexistance. Sarid has lost the plot.

you do.

Why flatter him?

Instead of writing letters come and visit as Jerusalem is very special for all religions and only Israel will see that all religions enjoy their stay there.

The Arab states have more to fear from the Islamists than Israel does. They have no concept as to what is a democracy. Just see what fundamentalism is doing in Sydney before you make decisions about another country.

the majority of jews in israel agree this is jewish land.75% of american jews agree.that will do very well. possession of the land is all we need.no one i think is going to take it from us. for other types of possession as in the catholic sense or perhaps drugs best to look to your homeland.

Countless Christians and Muslims have a claim on Jerusalem too, but that's beside the point: the current conflict must be resolved using international laws instead of conflicting and competing religious scriptures of the Abrahamic faiths. Under international law, religious dogma is inadmissible evidence in every democratic court of law...on earth.

telling others what is best for them truly is the height of ignorance.spitting at us from australia will bring you few followers.

"But he IGNORES all the main POINTS in post" Who is gonna believe anything posted by someone who purposefully lower cases the Palestinians time and time again? "Nitpicking about NOTHING, CJ?" You are pro-Israel? I find it strange that you willfully damage Israel's somewhat tarnished image even further by demonstrating less than savory practices.

You state the "Arab countries" fear Israel because it is a democracy. Have you considered that those countries for centuries have been conquered and subjugated by European invaders who treated the inhabitants like second class persons in their own homeland. Israel is just the latest instance. Might not that have a great deal to do with the hostility to another invader?

" possession is nine tenths of the law" Some 90% of criminal convictions are because they are in possession. "jerusalem is in jewish hands.." Israeli hands actually. Not all Jews agree with Israeli policies.

"jerusalem is zion.that is all you need to know" ..live in ignorance

"The Arab countries fear Israel because it is a democracy.." Strange, they guaranteed democracy from the outset for Palestine. "and I wouldn`t put my future in their hands" No one is asking you to.

Weisel and the like are in fact the true enemies of Israel. Their failure to understand Israel's needs is what stand in the way of Israel's true independence. Sarid knows what's best for ISrael, and a peace agreement with the Arabs that would address ISrael's existential concerns is what Israel needs, not people like Weisel who still believe that Israel can merely survive as an illigitemate entity. The world is gettign fed up with us, and we're getting fed from this limbo: trying to defend our legitimacy while all we do is comletely illigitemate and deprives of the essence of who we are: a chosen people of God.

But he IGNORES all the main POINTS in post. Nitpicking about NOTHING, CJ? CJ could be mistaken for an AIRHEAD that does WONDERS for Israel's UNBRIDLED bashers. But do STAY in the game - and THANKS for the LAUGHS.

WHERE in my post did I SPECIFY that palis have "no reason to redress their grievances"?

For too long many have used the perpetration of antisemitism, to justify violation of the tenets of our Jewish values and mores. My parents fought against British colonialism in Palestine, only to witness that we Israelis have replaced them on the West Bank. Meyron Benvenisti, Former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, got right after the Six Days War, when he warned about the self-destructive outcomes of occupation.

for demonstrating the blatant lack of logic in Eli Wiesel's article. Thank you for replacing mythology with wisdom and reason. Thank you for restoring the true picture in the face of a willfully twisted interpretation of reality. Thank you for your courage and congratulation for a master piece of convincing and very eloquent writing.

Thank you Yossi for this wonderful article. It is Israelis like yourself that keep the palestine peace camp alive. Your articles inject life into peace proponents on the palestinian (and arab side). On the other hand, Iran, Hamas, and Hizbullah feed on Elie's words.

and are threatening to cause the loss of Israel in our time. Mind you, all fanatics are cut of this cloth, the unbending spirit of Masada. What difference is there between the Zealots and Hamas? Both absolutely certain G-d is on their side, fighting the occupying power, and vilifying, even murdering their own compatriots when they speak of peace and compromise.

jerusalem is in jewish hands.who will take it from us.i agree that jews are showing confidence in themselves.perhaps it is about time.

so cute cj. jerusalem is zion.that is all you need to know.

I grew up in a Christian country, Australia, which I love dearly, but I am Jewish and in Australia I lived near a golf club which I couldn't join because I was Jewish,and Israel with all its faults and it has many, I belong and I am not even religous. The Arab countries fear Israel because it is a democracy and I wouldn't put my future in their hands.

quite right yossi.kenya or mauritius would have done just as well.

Jerusalem only became holy for the Christians and the Moslems because it was already holy the Jews. It beacme holy for the Christians about a thousand years after it became holy for the Jews and it became holy for the Moslems after another six or seven hundred years. For Christians and Jews it is the holiest city. For some Moslems it is the third holiest and for others it is the fourth holiest.

These people were expelled from Israel in 1948 and had to find a place to stay. If you claim your house in the occupied territory of sheikh Jarrah than you should allow all palestinian to go back to their homes in Israel. It cannot be one sided.

Mr.Sarid Yossi, People like you contributed to our destruction through the generations, siding with our enimies, Rhetoric and a good language cannot hide your defunct politics and thinking of a small, misery preoccupied person, while a politician, till today as a private citizen. While Elly gives the perspective and hope, you are offering again the misery and destruction. What really did you learn from history and from the hope. Nothing. Better shut up and stay at home hoping there will be IDF to help you when in troubble. Thank you, however in highlighting zyour weakness and stupidity. Best Regards, yk

Or just a critic of a man you have nothing in common with? Elie's opinion is valued far more than yours or that of this forgetable 'writier' who never shared Elie's life. I'd say more Jews agree w/ Elie than this hack know nothing 'writer.' People buy Elies books, this writer isn't worth any paper or comment, unless you could wrap fish in his stale words. Seems the writer would give up Jerusalem if he could and condemn all Jews to being in salvery once more by not being able to PRAY where they choose. I'm beginning to think Haaretz has lost it's collective mind.

It's very unfortunate that Zionism in general tends to shun pragmatism in favor of zealotry.

"You are right I did not read agreed upon international body, but which country would be acceptable?" International body = corpus separatum = separate entity "I can`t think of any.." No need. corpus separatum The Arab League guaranteed almost the same as the Balfour Declaration, the British Mandate, the two White Papers. // in accordance with democratic principles, whereby its inhabitants will enjoy complete equality before the law, [and whereby] minorities will be assured of all the guarantees recognised in democratic constitutional countries, and [whereby] the holy places will be preserved and the right of access thereto guaranteed // for all of Palestine. Jews could have settled any where in Palestine.. "I know that only under Israel would that happen" Er Israel has separated Jerusalem.. " Chag Semeach everyone and remember those that fell fighting for Israel`s freedom tonight" Israel's freedom? From what?

What was the name of that extremist party Yossi Sarid led? It began with a M I think...oh well it's moot now.

If only this piece is published alongside Wiesel's misleading text or at least in response to it in those newspapers.

Yossi Sarid seems to know little of Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Eli Wiesel speaks of is the one I know, I wonder if Sarid ever leaves Dizengoff to see these things for himself or he solely depends on Amira Haas, Gideon Levy, Said Erekat to keep him informed? It seems the latter.

...not because any man says it is.

There were no temples, no Jesus, not a word of it is actual historical fact. It's made up fairy tales that this voodoo is based on. It's like listening to children fighting in the kindergarten play ground over imaginary friends except that millions have been slaughtered for the sake of the fairy tales. Elie is an old ratbag making a mint off the backs of the sick.

One has to take your words, much like Obamas words, with a bit of salt. Prior to the Presidents win in the general election, Obama stood at AIPAC expressing his support for an undivided Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State. The development of the past few months raises questions as to whether the president has a plan to deal with the Palestinian Israeli conflict. Many experts do not buy it, defining his positions on the conflict as "talking points" and nothing more. In this piece, you are asking your readers to join a herd whose pastor has no direction. The Jews have roamed the world in exile. We have a nation state and we have our capital. We need not roam the world again herded by false agendas and prophets. In your attempt to point to the obvious that Jerusalem is a house of prayer to all people, you ignore the history behind a divided Jerusalem, of which Jews and Christians were denied the right to not only dwell but to freely worship our G-d as our creator intended.

You are right I did not read agreed upon international body, but which country would be acceptable? I can't think of any accept my own Australia and that wouldn't be acceptable to the Arabs. A big problem for sure and I respect your service BDF but Jerualem should be for everyone and I know that only under Israel would that happen. Chag Semeach everyone and remember those that fell fighting for Israel's freedom tonight.

in addition, im sorry for mr wiesel. the backlash of his letter will come much later. at the moment, the world is not really up to sort out what is going on, but when the drama unfolds, you will realize how he was damaged. the political, diplomatic and common sense short-sightedness of mr wiesel and the 7-headed-coalition is shocking and immature. their "strategy" couldnt be more stupid.

That's what it will be for Yossi Sarid and his ilk. The only problem is they will be gone, and the rest of us will still be here, suffering from their stupidity.

Yossi Sarid with his logic only proves my parents theory Jews are not worthy to have a country. It seems that Sarid needs some reading of King Solomon wisdom as explained in the Bible. My parents where holocaust survivors and after WWII they did not attend any Jewish activities including going to the Synagogue on high holidays. I was left without family (as all relatives where murdered) as a result. My parents reasoning - if the Jews from the free countries have not said a word against the failure to stop the murdering machine and the refusal of the allies to bomb the concentration camps and hard labor camps etc. and, why believing in the Jewish community ? no wonder so many around the world hate Jews ? Yossi Sarid and his reasoning is the living embodiment of the reason for hate.

Wiesel has begun a war of philosophy merged with old texts and religion from a very specific point of view which has alarmed many people to the point that other literaries are now intervening to defend the other camps. I just hope this gets as much publicity as Wiesel does to inform as many people as possible

....continues. Who will have the upper hand in the end...??? (Currently it's clearly the extremists/ideolo- gues, that are in charge of Israeli/Diaspora affairs...). P.S. Unlike Ed Koch, Abe Foxman and others, Elie Wiesel has at least a valuable excuse for his extremist views (on Jerusalem etc.) so Israel critics would be well advised not to treat him too harshly....

"..Jordan invaded and occupied Jerusalem and ethnically cleansed it from all the Jews." Dispossessing by Israel was all the go before Jordan expelled folk who'd likely be allies of a hostile entity. Quite common in wars. Then Israeli law forbade them to return. In fact it still does, so too the GC's. " Sheik Jarrah was a Jewish neighborhood bought legally with money over hundreds of years." Sovereignty is not determined by private, corporate or institutionally owned land. "Jews were evicted and cleansed from their homes with no payment of any kind. Why doesn?t Haaretz mention that?" Why don't you mention that the same happened to thousands of non-Jews in Israel and in the illegally claimed territories. "Jews building there are returning to land they bought legally before the illegal occupation by Jordan." A) Same Jews? Then there's no need for the Israeli Govt to SELL to them! What a rip off!! B) Israel AGREED to Jordan occupying. Read the armistice AGREEMENT.

you like many here seem to think the UN is a buffet where you can pick and choose, it was very convenient when it created Israel but not very convenient about land gained in war and refugees....

Fredy you seem to have added interpretation which wasn't stated by Yossi Sarid. He said "agreed upon international authority." He did not say UN. Indeed the multi-national force in the Sinai is not run by the UN. The Iraq coalition was not run by the UN. NATO was the prime mover in Bosnia in the late 90s and there are more examples of international efforts not directly or indirectly run by the UN. So yes, things could be arranged as stated in this wise article. An international authority can be agreed upon by all parties to the conflict and solution. Actually, people like Sarid are good for Israel. And as always, let me say that I did serve in the IDF lest you think I say all this from the cool safety of Canada with no connection to Israel.

'p'als & 'p'alis every time you write it? Why not 'j'ews or i'srael ?? You could be mistaken for a bigot & that would do little to enhance Israel's already tarnished image. Lift your game

Once in Muslim hands, do you really really really believe that Jews will be allowed to pray at Jewish holy sites?? Even worse, if the sites were in international hands, say the Brits, French, etc, do you really think that Jews would be able to pray at their holy sites?? Wanna buy a bridge in Brooklyn??

"Sarid would share his wife if somebody desired her too,huh ?" Shows more of what you are than it does of Sarid. Lift your game...

A thousand thanks to Yossi Sarid, and to Haaretz for publishing this thoughtful, courageous, and very true analysis. However, it is sad to read so many blind and hateful responses.

Do you think you are at the same level as Elie? Nobody cares about what you have to say.

Respect - derekh eretz - is in fact what is most lacking in the people behind the settlers in Jerusalem neighborhoods like Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. Elie Wiesel is a weaver of imaginative religious and spiritual tales that focus Jewish sentiment and give voice to its deep sense of victimhood and bereavement. However, as you write to him, politics has to be practical and the head must rule. Thanks for introducing pragmatism into the picture. Not everyone will agree on your solutions, but envisaging and discussing them is a first step to the wisdom required to pave the way to fairly and humanely sharing Jerusalem.

I agree that Jews and Arabs should be able to live together but when he talks about the "Old City" to be run by an international force I cringe. As I remember it was originally the UN of which Iran is a permanent member. Does he really think that will bring peace?

Thanks for encouraging Mr. Wiesel to return to planet earth. Maybe it's a result of decades of profiting from the holocaust business, maybe it was losing his fortune to Bernie Madoff, but Mr. Elie shows that he's entirely out of touch with the realities that challenge Jews and Israelis today. Please ask the NY Times to publish your letter!

I salute you, Mr Sarid. Those outsiders, like me, who know many Israelis have mixed feelings about the conflict and the people who are part of it. Israelis like you remind us that not all Israelis wear blindfolds, indeed, that some are honest, intelligent, informed and with humanistic dignity.

Stop pretending that you care.

Do you really question the right of Palestinian civilians who are constantly being oppressed and humiliated by IDF soldiers to take action against them when they get a chance? Have they no reason to redress their grievances? How else can they do it?

yossi sarid, you accuse wiesel of "imbuing our current conflict with messianic hues." jews are not allowed to claim jerusalem as holy for judaism. yet sarid claims that "this city is holy to everyone." who is everyone? the truth is that muslims have never accepted jewish legitimacy over any part of jerusalem. the truth is that muslim blackmail has caused the uk tourism ministry to claim that the kotel(western wall) is in "east jerusalem." if the kotel is in "east jerusalem," then what part of jewish holy places would remain under the control of the only jewish state.

Jews should have a responsibility for future generations, and if need be, take hard decisions to protect the interests of those to follow. If Jerusalem is the center of Jewish life, if the Temple Mount is the holiest site for Jews, the place where Judaism was formed, then Sarid's approach is selfish and short sighted and if allowed to happen will institutionalize hate between Israelis. The Left Mr. Sarid, are not the only ones capable of hate but you are doing a fine job of stirring it up. Is civil war what you really want Sarid? If not then I suggest you remember that you are a Jew. The world views you as one so you might as well become a defender of it.

Ideology above politics??? What an outrageous statement from a man who survived the holocaust. One can only wish that the political system back then had been a little stronger. Sarid is exactly right - politics is the only thing that can save us from wars and holocausts. One can only wonder if it is really Wiesel speaking here, or his donors.

Yossi's letter is a ti;bute to Israel democracy. I used to be skeptical every time Israel is referred as the only democracy in the middle east. If an American Journalist or politician were to openly support a position such as Yossi's, he cannot survive politicallyl or professionally. Israel's leaders could serve the scause of Israel and the cause of peace and the cause of mankind if they take his analysis of the issues seriously. Israel should live up to its democratic values. Although Israel's democracy is only for Jewish citizens, it is more of a democracy than we have in the USA.

I find this one of the best articles written and one that I can completely agree with. Jerusalem belongs to all, Christian, Jew, and Muslim and is not a pawn on some political bargaining table. It can be the capital of two countries - and the holy shrines controlled by an international body. That will guarantee access to all - which is but fair and just. The job will be to bring people to this understanding - and hence to an end of the hatred and bloodshed.

As always Yossi Sarid states his half truths and outright lies. Facts are that the residents in Sheikh Jarrah were evicted by the courts in a pure civil case, and Arab residents can build if they have a permit. A shame that the truth does not fit into his preconceived ideas

Nice Article. No matter what state professes to be in occupancy of Jerusalem, it's God who rules Jerusalem. The Christians, Islam and Jews all claimed Jerusalem as their own, but their greed was greater than their faith, and God revoked their claim in turn.

OBAMA IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD FOR ISRAEL

Sarid's ancient history is as skewed as his modern politics. It was not the revolts of the Zealots or others that ended the Jewish presence in Israel but the economic isolation of the country after the Islamic conquest and then the destruction wrought by the Crusaders. As for Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem, I've been to them, Shuafat (sp!) included, and they are growing. Save your tears, Jews were driven from many of them but never given refugee status. And let's preserve a sense of proportion no Jew could even enter Jordanian Jerusalem, 1948-67; and no Jew can be a citizen of Jordan today. If Jerusalem was so important to the Arabs why was it never any Arab state's capital? If it's so important to Christians, why did anti-Semites in Europe chant "Hierosolyma est perdita" derisively. It, all of it, is Israel.

yaakov, you can disagree with mr weisel without all your insults. you seem to know the answers in advance, and how to carve out peace, and you will give away what Israel paid dearly for in tons of our troops' blood, but all you do in your notes is insults after insult over and over. you are as bad as your detractors and the chauvinists on the right. anyone who might respect your points is put off

Well said.

Over my dead body. Given the miserable record of international bodies when it comes to Israel, why should I trust them to deal with Jerusalem. If an international body held the "Holy Basin" they would give it to the Palestianians/Iranians in a matter of hours to use as a Qassam base

Over my dead body. Given the miserable record of international bodies when it comes to Israel, why should I trust them to deal with Jerusalem. If an international body held the "Holy Basin" they would give it to the Palestianians/Iranians in a matter of hours to use as a Qassam base

This article mentions that Arabs can thank their God for not being kicked out into the streets etc.. then talks about the sheek Jarrah neighborhood which it correctly points out that the Arab residence were in since 1948,Interesting year for them to have moved in. What happened in 1948?? What happened was that Jordan invaded and occupied Jerusalem and ethnically cleansed it from all the Jews. Sheik Jarrah was a Jewish neighborhood bought legally with money over hundreds of years. Jews were evicted and cleansed from their homes with no payment of any kind. Why doesn?t Haaretz mention that? Jews building there are returning to land they bought legally before the illegal occupation by Jordan. Why does Haaretz work so hard to twist the truth? Shame on this you.

He would have the moral clarity that Wiesel sold out long ago. Clearly, Wiesel was called upon by the zionist propagandists to propagandise for the cause. In the face of what Israel does with impunity in Sheik Jarreh, Silwan and East Jerusalem, to have this kind of blatant lie perpetrated by one who is tauted as a defender of exposing crimes to the world is sickening and shows the utter moral bankruptcy and moral double dealing of Israel. Shameful.

Like haaretz STABLE of writers, Yossi CONTENDS that once the ISSUE of Jerusalem - which, as Elie points out, has utmost SIGNIFICANCE for Jews and NONE for the Muslims - is SOLVED, peace between Israel and the palis will PREVAIL. Like haaretz STABLE of writers, Yossi is fully COMPLIANT to have Israel STRIPPED out its SOVEREIGNTY by his ACQUIESCENCE to "allow (Obama) to use his clout to save us from ourselves". Like haaretz STABLE of writers, Yossi IGNORES that it is ISRAEL who ABOLISHED laws - laid down by Jordan - that heavily RESTRICTED access to ALL holy sites. And Like haaretz STABLE of writers, Yossi COVERS up the FACT that the palis's never-changing NATIONAL aspiration is to get RID of Israel regardless. Not surprising since haaretz staff WHINES and CRIES to support THIEVES but is TOTALLY SILENT when IDF soldiers were LYNCHED by pali MOBS.

Even if Yossi is right (he is obviously wrong), even then to question the legitimacy of Israel's control over Sheikh Jarrah creates a dangerous precedent. For it brings the question of the legitimacy of Israel's control over the western wall (since it is also part of "Arab" East Jerusalem) and from that the legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish state in general. And by the way while Jews did lose Jerusalem 2000 years ago they did not lose their identity, which was the main reason why they started that fight in first place.

I couldn't say it better myself, why did you leave politics you should've stayed in the government and put some scenes in to those bone heads MK that they call themselves educated and talk about history thank you and keep writing and I hope one day you run into office and show them the way god bless you

Elie Wiesel and Yossi Sarid. Something to be proud of in a democracy such as Israel - from both the religious and secular perspectives. Thank you adonim!