Huge police deployment in Jerusalem for synagogue dedication
Fears of renewed rioting as Palestinian leaders issue call to defend Al-Aqsa mosque.
By Nir Hasson, Avi Issacharoff, Anshel Pfeffer and Liel Kyzer Tags: Jerusalem Israel newsMonday's dedication of the restored Hurva Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City could spark riots, police warned yesterday.
Pamphlets distributed in East Jerusalem claimed the opening of the synagogue was the first step toward the reconstruction of the Temple, while senior Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan and Hatem Abdel Kader, who holds the Jerusalem affairs portfolio in the Palestinian Authority, called upon Israeli Arabs to go to the Temple Mount and protect it from Israel.
Israeli security sources speculated yesterday that the PA is trying to leverage the unrest in East Jerusalem to promote its political agenda and tighten the connection between Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Security officials will decide today whether to extended the closure on the West Bank announced by Defense Minster Ehud Barak on Saturday. A move usually reserved in recent years for Jewish holidays, the closure was intended to block the spread and escalation of violent demonstrations.
On Sunday, thousands of Jewish revelers guarded by hundreds of policemen celebrated the entry of the first Torah scroll in the synagogue, and then held a festive evening service. Despite warnings by police, no violence took place near the Old City during the event.
The Hurva, considered the most important synagogue in the country for many years, was destroyed at the end of the War Independence and totally restored during the last five years. Renovated with the help of old photographs, plans and drawings, the synagogue was rebuilt to match the original model identically.
On Monday, the synagogue will be formally dedicated by Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend the ceremony, but will deliver a prerecorded video greeting.
"The police will act forcefully to prevent both Muslim and Jewish extremists from disturbing public order and security in the Temple Mount and East Jerusalem," a statement from the police said.
Police and Border Police forces will continue their special deployment today, with 2,500 officers spread across the Old City, East Jerusalem and adjacent villages. Entry of Palestinians to the Mount will be limited for the fourth day in a row, with only Israeli Muslim men older than 50 and women allowed to enter the compound to pray. No visitors or tourists will be allowed.
The Jerusalem police department also withdrew the permission it gave to a group from the El Har Hamor yeshiva to take its monthly march around the Old City gates, for fear it would escalate tensions even further. MK Uri Ariel (National Union) criticized the police for the decision, saying their job was "to protect Israeli citizens, not to surrender to Arab rioters".
Police Commissioner David Cohen tried to calm nerves yesterday by appealing to all parties.
"The extremist, inciting statements being heard don't correlate to the facts on the ground," Cohen said. "I expect all parties involved to show responsibility, and to moderate any statements that could lead to an unnecessary escalation of violence in the city."
Israeli intelligence services do not believe, however, that the PA is interested in unleashing a full-flung intifada, or in ratcheting up violence in the occupied territories, since this would hamper efforts being made by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to build Palestinian institutions and improve the economy.
Yesterday, Abdel Kader met with representatives of Old City merchants and other local leaders. They decided to hold a general strike today between 11 A.M. and 1 P.M., a critical time of day, when students leave schools and mosques conclude their noontime religious services.
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You need to add that a synagogue of one sort or another has stood on that site since 1701. That was well before any Arab started calling himself a Palestinian.
The Hurva was destroyed by the Arab lienholders who weren't paid by the borrowers around 1700.
Should be restored. Shouldn't cause any problems.
Translation: There will be wheelbarrows of rocks parked at the exits for your convenience.
Exactly when was the last time any of Jerusalem was a palestinian capitol? Never. In fact, it has never been the capitol of any people other than the Jews. Never. So exactly how do pals claim rights to Jerusalem? It is so holy to them that it is not mentioned once in koran and when under Jordanian rule, not a single arab leader thought to visit. Jerusalem was the Jewish capitol going back to King David, thousands of years before advent of islam. It's time world admits truth that arabs have no legit claim to Jerusalem.
I've never understood why Israel didn't close the West Bank borders indefinitely after Six Day War until a peace deal was signed. If Israel needs cheap labor, they would be better off getting foreign labor who won't pose a security risk. Let the pals rely on Jordan for jobs, medical treatment since most of them carry Jordanian passports. Israel was too generous and the result was terrorist attacks.
In 1967 I was taken to see the ruins of the Hurva by an old man who used to pray there. The whole jewish quarter was trashed by the victorious Jordanians. Yet, Israel did not ask for compensation when it made peace with Jordan. It quietly went about reconstructiing the quarter. Palestinians should show that they respect places of worship and should expect the same from Israel.
I was thinking about the toilets in China, a obviously 90% fatal design. What could I do for it? Let Doctor Li, the next premier of China, think about it as his achivement. I don't think it fit to waste my energy for people criticize the idea behind it while give nothing with their ideal.
This is what peace with the Palestinians will look like. Hillary Clinton, where are you?
Dear Esther In todays world live and let live is an expression followed by enlightened people. The people you want to share Jerusalem with do not fit this category.
Always an exscuse for a rioting and violence. Still brings out the cave man , well actually i think they were better behaved.
Jews rebuild a synagogue destroyed by Muslim-Arabs 62 years ago AND THE ARABS CALL THIS A PROVACATION, THREATEN VIOLENCE AND HOLD A GENERAL STRIKE! And the world thinks that we can make peace with these people???!
Heck, Moslems have this interesting belief that there can be no religious edifice higher than a Mosque. One of the issues surrounding the Hurva was that the dome overtowered El-Aksa. That, my friends is the provocation that the Jews are causing. Iran, Darfur, Somali pirates on the high seas rage and the single most critical issue that endangers world peace is . . . a synagogue in Jerusalem that took years to build, was destroyed, and rebuilt as it was when it was in use. Let the skeptics shout, but the prophets who wrote that the Jerusalem would be the focus world affairs. What can I tell ya'
... now after that gandiose event (even with its provocative inneundos)... it's time to live-and-let in Jerusalem... undeniably the capital of two nations... ... genug with the provocations... time to get on with our lives... both Israelis and Pals in their potentially 'incendiary' Capital City, Jerusalem ...