Jerusalem construction is now a national obsession
In effect, Netanyahu functions more like the prime minister of Jerusalem than like that of the whole country.
By Doron Rosenblum Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu Jerusalem Israel news Middle East peaceIt is doubtful that anyone in the present administration in the White House, or anywhere in the world, has the patience or desire to get to the bottom of the motives behind the Netanyahu government. But those who nonetheless want to understand what makes the prime minister tick should look at the photographs of the happy and ostensibly non-political event that fell into the lap of the extended Netanyahu family this week: the victory of Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu's son Avner in the National Bible Quiz.
It was a pleasant sight, which looked as though it had emerged from an old photo: a proud and splendid-looking family, replete with two elderly patriarchal grandfathers surrounding it from both sides and casting an authoritative shadow. The family radiated expertise in and commitment to ancient texts, to the Hebrew Bible and to history, along with a sense of mission and a profound awareness of "Jewish destiny."
It's enough to look at the family to understand where the prime minister came from and how much he differs in his motives, his background and the purpose of his deeds not only from his predecessors, but from most of today's world leaders.
Perhaps the root of the present crisis with the United States, and the elusive but permanent sense of misunderstanding that accompanies Benjamin Netanyahu on the international scene, lies on this profound plane, rather than in his problematic day-to-day political behavior. This is a kind of deception that creates constant disappointment, during his previous term as in his present one. At first glance, at least, Netanyahu is considered a modern politician from a normal country. A tortuous statesman but pragmatic in essence, with whom in the final analysis one can close political deals on all issues, including Jerusalem.
But this is one big optical illusion. In effect, in terms of his basic opinions and worldview, Netanyahu is one of the most anachronistic and archaic prime ministers that Israel has ever had. "Older" even than most of his predecessors who were older in years than him. Some of them allowed themselves to be flexible and to lead a change in direction in accordance with the circumstances, being father figures themselves; Netanyahu, by contrast, was and remains, for good and for ill, shriveled up in the role of the perpetual good son. His primary interest is to satisfy the values from his father's home, even if it causes the entire world to rise up against him.
It is therefore no wonder that when the Americans and other international diplomats speak to him about apples, he talks to them about pears (at least when it comes to Jerusalem and the settlements). They are talking in the name of realpolitik, demography and geography, and he is replying in the name of principle. Although several of his predecessors did the same, it was not with such tortuous deceptiveness.
It's true that Netanyahu is indeed bound by coalition constraints, but we should not forget that that is also part of the very same deception; after all, Netanyahu forced these constraints - including the unfortunate cabinet appointments - on himself in advance, and in contravention of any logic of realpolitik. It was as though he was being careful not to "fail," God forbid, by getting involved in a genuinely pragmatic move. (If he really meant what he said in his speech about the principle of two states, why did he refuse to utter the words a year ago, in the coalition negotiations with Kadima?)
In effect, Netanyahu functions more like the prime minister of Jerusalem than like that of the country as a whole. Or rather, the prime minister of "Jerusalem," enclosed in quotation marks: not the actual city, with its geo-demographic problems and the practical solutions required as part of an overall agreement, but the so-called heavenly Jerusalem. Netanyahu is prime minister of the Jerusalem of principles, metaphors, oaths and declarations; the Jerusalem of the Bible, of the love of Zion and of our forefathers; the Jerusalem of the Western Wall tunnels and the bible quiz and the "rock of our existence"; a religious, mythical and declarative Jerusalem, where arrangements, compromises and solutions are inconceivable.
All this is almost the diametric opposite of the principles of practical Zionism - which, for all its proclaimed exaltation of Jerusalem, gave rise to the Hebrew revival and the Israeli ethos, in every part of the country where practical Zionism could be instituted wisely and with international diplomatic support.
It is good to elevate Jerusalem to the forefront of all our joy, as the Jewish saying has it. But when expanding and Judaizing it become a blind obsession, which clashes (as we are now seeing) with the clear and immediate interests of the entire State of Israel, we must ask what kind of leader we need at present. Do we need a good Jerusalemite who is considered an international enfant terrible, or do we need an Israeli prime minister?
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Spelling mistakes to prove his points. If you read the whole history,the The Temple Mount,in addition to the Kotel are both one OF OUR MOST HOLIEST SITES. So I am right and you wrong. The sooner that onion is replaced by OUR TEMPLE the better it will be. After all,what came first? Judaism,or Islam? The said ONION was plonked there by some invader long ago,and why Jews are now suffering from by that invader's whim. To me,as well thousands of Jews it is unacceptale. Verbose Roo the dimwitted must understand: We are not debating or writing a thesis. What is more,no need presenting abstruse and long posts. Silly clot is you .
You will also be accused of being a jihadist as this silly EGB accused me. All I said wasthe truth,and no confusion, at all. For Mazel Tov to Bibi thank you.
Jasmine I read your 'epistles' at #65 and #68. "Only the Ultra Orthodox guided by their equally ultra Rabbies[sic] perhaps do not." #68 "Orthodox or othe[sic] Rabbies[sic] forbid goint[sic] to pray"#65[ever heard of spell check?] A rabbi: Jewish teacher, learned in Torah and Talmudic studies. eg. J.C[perhaps] Rabbies: Possible variant of a virus [rabies] known to effect warm-blooded animals.[perhaps] "All Jews believe the Torah,and Talmud of course,but the seculars are not fundemetalistic[sic]." Jas Of course they don't all believe in Talmud! Reform Jews generally do not. Nor did the Sadducees of the Greco Syrian/Roman era either. They recognise the Oral Law [Talmud]as the work of men, not god [as orthodox Jews insist it is] and of course 'secular' Jews may even be non believers. "Take it from me any Jew can go and DOES SO,to pray at the Temple Mount." Jas I already stated that I'd been there myself[#55]and that anyone 'could' go if they so wish. He claimed they 'could not' as they were prevented from doing so by the Muslim authorities...got that? However it appears that you don't even know that the 'Temple Mount' is not identical to the 'Kotel' . The Kotel refers specifically to the Western wall which is a retaining wall of the Temple Mount. American specifically referred to Jews not being allowed to pray on the Temple Mount[that is directly above the Kotel, [which is merely the perimeter wall of the Mount] where the Dome of the Rock mosque, now stands. Of course ultra orthodox pray at the Kotel,[as anyone can see on the Kotel live web cam] because standing by it [unlike standing on the Mount itself] one cannot be directly above the original so called Holy of Holy's. It is because it is forbidden in Jewish law to enter the Holy of Holy's that the Rabbis generally prohibit setting foot on the Mount itself, for it might be that someone could inadvertently walk directly over the site of the former Holy of Holy's. There is no prohibition from praying at the Kotel [down below] as it is effectively outside of the Temple boundary. Silly clot.
Mazal Tov Bibi. Never ever put Jerusalem on the negotiating table. It must always remain in Israeli control. Its the land of your forefathers and Obama or Clinton have no right to it or to mediate on the issue. Stand firm come what may. In the end you will win.
You sound like a jihadist, Jasmine. Would you like to see eternal warfare in a place you claim to love?
Of the "Temple Mount" i.e The Kotel,and the Rabbinic Laws which vary from Orthodox,to ultra religious,or secular. All Jews believe the Torah,and Talmud of course,but the seculars are not fundemetalistic. Don't let Roo fool you he loves to weave webs and writes long epistles to confuse the issues. Sent him a post waiting to be published if possible. Take it from me any Jew can go and DOES SO,to pray at the Temple Mount.Only the Ultra Orthodox guided by their equally ultra Rabbies perhaps do not. Does it make them any less Jewish and love for OUR JERUSALEM?Of course NOT. Have you ever visited Jerusalem and the Temple Mount?seen the people who pray every day,families with children etc. You will also see some religious Jews there for good measure(unlike Roo's lie).Soldiers pray constantly there too of course. End Bottom line is:All Jews can go freely to pray at the Western Wall..i.e The KOTEL. End of sermon from: Secular Jasmine
But has not surfaced yet.If and when it does you will get the gist of it,rather than-- reading it through foggy glasses. Will not repeat what I explained.
To watch the Islamic world operate is akin to being at the Mad Hatter's tea party. The behavior of the followers of Big Mo is simply idiotically inexplicable until it is understood that Islam is one gigantic cult. The world will never know peace until the cult of Is-lam is ushered out of this world, to be known at that time as Was-lam. The three principles of islam 1) Submission is Freedom 2) War is Peace 3) Ignorance is Strength what about EVIL is good?
Orthodox or othe Rabbies forbid goint to pray at the Kotel,ho then do hundreds of Jews attend not only for prayers,but also Bar Mitzva and many other reasons. I know you would like it to be altogether forbidden for your twisted reasons,but! A reminder for you to keep in mind.i.e Not all Jewish citizens belong to Orthodox Judaism,nor a form of fundementalism. However,they still believe in G-D pray occasionally etc,etc. Have you ever visited Jerusalem and the KOTEL? You are allowed you know(unlike the fundemental Islamists).And you will not only see families with their children,but also soldiers there praying regularely. Stop muddying the waters just because of what you read and think you understand it all. You have NOT!
everyone who knows to read the words of the spirit into the torah,understand that everything is the war of the opposites in minds,the good and the evil and the truth and the lie which exist into human minds and thoughts,the torah is not a foolish story for childhood as a lot of people read it and it is hard for us to accept the words and the torah of jesus because our evil and liar side is inside our deeper thoughts to refuse him but we know after read the words of the messiah that his spirit is the good and the truth which clean our minds and councious of our sins,we refuse and hate him but we'd like to live with no fear that someone lie,steal or murder us because we can judge for what we see but we cannot judge what we cannot see and no one knows what is in mind of the other one and it'd be normal to live without those fears which chases us from the beggining of our existance,we are all pretender and we cannot trust in others and we know we cannot trust in ourselves want messiah now!
"Since "the Jews took control" of Jerusalem in 1967, the Waqf has been left in charge of the temple mount to the extent that Jews are forbidden from visiting their holiest site." Confused American To talk of the 'Temple Mount' being a 'holy site' which Jews are 'forbidden to visit' is both dishonest and incongruous. Dishonest because any Jewish or gentile tourist who so wishes can indeed visit the mount as I have done myself, you obviously never got round to it? Incongruous because In August 1967 after Israel's capture of the old city, both the Chief Rabbis of Israel, as well as other leading rabbis, stated that "For generations we have warned against and refrained from entering any part of the Temple Mount." The orthodox Rabbinical consensus remains that it is completely forbidden for Jews to set foot upon any part of the Temple Mount . In 2005 a signed declaration reinforced the 1967 ruling. http://www.templeinstitute.org/archive/25-01-05.htm Likewise, Haredi rabbis similarly state that the Mount is off limits. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3787113,00.html Yes Jews are forbidden to visit the site as you say- not by Muslim authorities but rather by the religious Jewish authorities and rabbis!
From the common to the unique: 1. Inability to see the future. This Netanyahu shares with practically all Likudniks. The party is based on an impossibly unreaslistic ideology: Keep the Arabs under indefinite control. This can't last forever in the modern age, but Likud people prefer not to see it. A preselected group of "disabled" people. 2. Deceptiveness. Netanyahu shares it with Sharon, but he practices this non-stop and on a daily basis, that nobody trusts him. Sharon was smarter and reserved it only for "big tasks", such as the Lebanon invasion. 3. Weakness. In this Netanyahu is unique among the Likud leaders. He gets scared of every serious happening. His reaction is to try to appease.
Israeli Options: 1. Two State Solution 2. One State Solution. 2. Continue the land grab and run an apartheid state with every nation pointing their fingers and continuing the political instability.
From the common to the unique: 1. Inability to see the future. This Netanyahu shares with practically all Likudniks. The party is based on an impossibly unreaslistic ideology: Keep the Arabs under indefinite control. This can't last forever in the modern age, but Likud people prefer not to see it. A preselected group of "disabled" people. 2. Deceptiveness. Netanyahu shares it with Sharon, but he practices this non-stop and on a daily basis, that nobody trusts him. Sharon was smarter and reserved it only for "big tasks", such as the Lebanon invasion. 3. Weakness. In this Netanyahu is unique among the Likud leaders. He gets scared of every serious happening. His reaction is to try to appease.
He can't get away from his father's teachings and influence. Hence the inability to measure a policy in both pragmatic and ideological terms and come to a logical conclusion.
By a typical Haaretz LEFTIST surprise? NOT.. Tyring to diminish Netanyahu by writing in such cynical way thinks some of us would approve of his stance?well some equally LEFISTS Jews like him i.e the Esthers of this world of course would. They are in the minority. Thus the majority WINS DUH! And the majority are the many of us here to couteract the above man's wishes who is diminishing our love for Jerusalem can take heart and disagree in its entirety what he has written. Jerusalem is Our INDIVIDED JEWISH CAPITAL full stop and we will fight for it till eternity. If you Doron disagree,so be it. I for one dismiss your presumptuousness.
It is time the Palestinians realized the longer they wait for a state the smaller it will be. In other words, the more uncompromising they are in negoitation, the longer it will take them to be a state, which will result in a smaller state. IT IS THEIR CALL!!!!!
"What *Arabs* need is a sense of pride in their ability to compromise and share with *Israel* the area and abandon their rigid adherence to *their supreme will* that has little relevance in the modern world and has the capacity to do great harm in the here and now. All this rich and *historic* land, whoever has statehood over it and how little that really matters - should some day be available for everybody to see. But first--first--there must be a compromise that everybody can have a sense of national identity-until that no onger is a necessity".
What Israel needs is a sense of pride in its ability to compromise and share with other peoples of the area and abandon their rigid adherence to old New Testament tales that have little relevance in the modern world and have the capacity to do great harm in the here and now. All this rich and storied land, whoever has statehood over it--and how little that really matters--should someday be available for all to see. But first--first--there must be compromise so that everyone can have have a sense of national identity--until that is no longer a necessity.
... summing up of all the confusing pontifications that one reads for-and-against... in fact it is precisely for this purpose that the right elevates Bibi as a sort of trophy from one government to another... there are serious right-wingers in this government who secretly mock him for his personality, but for the sake of political expediency remain shtum...
for allowing Jews the rite to live in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem. Where were you in 1947 and earlier when Jews were barred from the Western Wall in East Jerusalem.
now its the jews in jerusalem. yesterday the ottomans and british, before them the jews and canaanites etc etc etc tomorrow it might be the chinese who knows? who cares? the ruler is allowed to do what it pleases in its own house. it is NATURAL human history. fake peace that does not accept the consequences of war is to fail, as all artificial lab concepts.
Roo wrote: You Americans only know what you know, which all too typically . . ." Here's what I know: The "Peace Process" conceived in 1991 and given birth to in 1993, and nutured with the installation of Arafat's regime in 1994 has led to nothing but death, destruction and suffering for both Palestinians and Jews. You ignored Arafats praise of Yehiya Ayyash, you ignored PA television and schools teaching children to hate Jews from 1994 on. You replaced the less than ideal situation of the IDF running Gaza, with a terrorist regime that thinks its good to blow up babies in Sbarros pizzeria, and likes to lob mortar shells into pre-1967 Israel. While "the whole world" tells the Jews in Israel they better not respond in the military way ANY OTHER NATION ON EARTH would to attacks. I know the facts. You know things you choose to ignore.
Didn't Israel already build that wall?
in my opinion everybody has a right to their "god", whoever it is. BUT please do not compare them to each other and consider them as one and the same. Would I believe in a god of a prophet, who was a pedophile and sexually penetrated a child, who was 9 yrs old? The idea is appalling to me. Jesus was a mortal man; would I believe in a mortal man as god? The idea is appalling to me and also breaks against the First Commandment. The G-D of Israel is a LIVING G-D and His Commandmends for LIFE. In Him alone I believe and He is NOT comparable to any other G-D in the Universe.
for how long will we have to suffer from it? 28 yrs like Berlin or longer? NOTHING learned from history. SHAME ON YOU, THE QUARTET!
Roo wrote: "Israeli . . . have indulged in persistent propaganda which diminishes the importance of Jerusalem to the Muslim faith" Sorry Roo, but saying that Mecca is central to Muslim faith, and Jerusalem is central to the Jewish faith is simple fact, not propaganda. As you are no doubt aware, before the Jewish State took control of Jerusalem in 1967, the Jews were expelled from the Jewish Quarter. Since "the Jews took control" of Jerusalem in 1967, the Waqf has been left in charge of the temple mount to the extent that Jews are forbidden from visiting their holiest site. The Jews of Jerusalem would have to be pretty stupid to hand over control to an "authority" whose spokespeople and minister deny ANY Jewish connection to Jerusalem, and praise murderers.
The truth is how long will the Israeli constituents allow him to captain the ship towards the iceberg?
is to send them in the "Promised Land of the NEGEV" then we all will have Peace and Security.
Israel's agenda of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from all of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem is so very evident from all maps showing Israel's settlements on Palestinian land and the "barrier" wall, recognized world wide as Israel's apartheid wall. The "barrier" wall is an obvious scaffolding to Israeli expansionism. Israel has every right to exist, but certainly not as it is today 2010 - Israel will be remembered in history as a cruel, aggressive, thieving, apartheid state.
I hope you aren't suggesting Jews didn't commit atrocities in 1948? You are old enough, perhaps you were there....in Dier Yassin? Are you suggesting the world should assume all Jews are bloodthirsty based on their blood thirsty acts in 1948? Times have changed, cousin. And it is high time to end this conflict based on comprimise and reconcilliation. That means SHARING Jerusalem, not pretending only Jews have a right to decent life in that holy of holy city.
Okay. How about one of you can have a few hundred square miles of land in Eastern Mexico, the other in Western Mexico. There is plenty of dirt to construct as many mud huts as you want. And you'll all be so mellowed out by smoking that fine Mexican herb that everyone will live peacefully.
When you write "we," who is we? As the United States population goes, your view of reality is very much a minority view. Your worldview in the context of the US is statistically insignificant.
Mr Rozenblum should respect majority rule principle: The jewish community considers Jerusalem area as vital to sovereignty in Eretz Israel in some contrast to Haaretz liberals. This is unfortunate but had we adopted since 67 their "never annoy" attitude we still had to creep silently into the Mograbi neighborhood in order to visit the Wailling Wall.
In plain English, Israel is being led to the precipice by a bunch of ideological and religious fanatics. What, you hadn't noticed already??
Reason is not an issue here. lf you don't have the feeling you cannot understand. Just like king Solomon put to test the two women- the real mother gave her baby away rather than half it.Remember ? Mr. Rosenblum's heart is not where his right hand is. lf it were he would not be among the living
What an idiotic article. Doron, what did you want to say? That you don't like Natanyahu? Why don't you change your name to Moron.
Bravo, Mr. Rosenblum! At last Jerusalem and PM Netanyahu have been treated in context and the result is impressive. It is true that the battle for Jerusalem is transcendent. However, as Mr. Rosenblum says, it needs to be dealt with as real estate and realpolitik if it is to be resolved. A clear take on this matter is essential if the international community represented by 'the quartet' is to enter proposals that have a chance of succeeding. I believe that an international presence in a form to be decided will be necessary. But that may be appropriate for a city that is more than a city in the beliefs of the three Abrahamic religions.
That he did not publish it shows how he feels about our PM Netanyahu. Do we care what the DORON'S of today say? I think not.He,like the many at Haaretz speak with one MOUTH...i.e anything to put a SPOKE IN THE WHEEL is their pleasure against Israel. Funny they live in the country,why not MOVE OVER? elsewhere ha? We are here in our homeland with Jerusalem as our ETERNAL CAPITAL,and OUR PM BIBI. Let sour grapes Doron cry me a river if he so wishes..
It says it all. Shabbat Shalom.
by the whole world. He can't stand a PM that is actually FOR priciples and Jewish rights. He gives it all away when he uses the offensive "Judaizing" Jerusalem (Arafat's favorite terminology) which I as a Jew, find grossly offensive and bordering on racist (certainly many would be screaming 'racism' if Jews would complain about "Arabizing" Jerusalem or any part of Israel).
ok, lets stop playing games: i propose that bibi get up and make a speech: "israel will freeze all settlements in the west bank and east jerusalem, and recognize that there should be a creation of a palestinian state in the west bank and east jerusalem, with a palestinian majority. this we will do as a trust building measure. in return, as a trust building measure, we would like the palestinian side to state that they will recognize a jewish state inside the 1967 borders with a jewish majority, with west jerusalem as its capital." sounds fair? (of course, in practical terms, this means that hamas has to agree to this as well, since it runs gaza, or that hamas must be removed from gaza).
You are absolutely correct in every word written within your post. Not obsession,BUT SURELY A CLEAR MESSAGE TO the WORLD. And your quote:Try to please everyone , you please no one! And people should try to remember and be not DELUDED.
Like many others in this country, you confuse the principles of a Jewish homeland and ethnic dominance. It is not beyond the wit of humans to reach an agreement ensuring that Jews and fellow humans of other faiths for whom Jerusalem has great significance enjoy full access. What is at stake for people like Bibi (and perhaps for you too) is the infantile need to dominate and to enjoy exclusivity. In this case, such domination and exclusivity can only be achieved by actions that are profoundly un-Jewish and are reminiscent of the oppression that we ourselves have experienced over the centuries. Furthermore, I maintain that we need to distinguish between honoring Jerusalem and preserving the sanctity of its holy places and turning the whole place into a vulgar theme park for tourists.
We all missed your reports on the small boy with the five loaves. Where have you been?
I enjoyed reading the comments The only way to live and survive in Israel is to connect to the roots Israel is the US , Jerusalem is not New York and i dont recall N.Y ever divided. The only people to last are those who know who they are and why they are there. All i have to say is : Try to please everyone , you please no one! My father(Z"L) fought in Jerusalem in 1967 his forefathers resettled Jerusalem in the 1860's and back then people knew exactly why they are there It is a sad reality where Israel, the size of new Jersey has to be divided No other nation on the face of the planet has been asked to do so Benjamin Nethanyhu is a rare figure, he is a man connected to his roots and therefore he can lead the nation towards survival rather than destruction He has to take care of the jewish nation the Arabs can take care of themselves , they have more than 50 nations and many holy cities. There is no need to hand them over what belongs to us, purchased fair and square.
Do you realize that the Israeli right and religious right[who both serve in the Israeli Gov] have indulged in persistent propaganda which diminishes the importance of Jerusalem to the Muslim faith: 1) Deny any strong Muslim connection to Jerusalem 2) Praise and honor Arab-killers by the naming of streets and towns after terrorists from Lehi and Irgun. 3.Jews have every right to live in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalems Old City, that is not in dispute. As Bill Clinton proposed. What is Jewish for the Jews and what is Palestinian for the Palestinians.[Just stop expanding what is Jewish and driving out Palestinians]. A lot of Jews voted for Obama the first time around as they are liberals on economics and foreign policy, as opposed to warmongers[ala Bush]and anti welfare[ala Republicans]. You Americans only know what you know, which all too typically is not much more than Sarah Palin.
As did the talkbacks. Were any of y ou alive in 1948 when Jordan's army under the leadership of John GAlubb, a British army officer, took Jerusalem. Jews were slaughtered unmercifully, their homes, places of worship, schools were destroyed. Their sacred places -- the Kotel and the Mount of Olives cemetery -- desecrated. And you want this to happen again. Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital of Israel.
Do you realize that the Israeli right and religious right[who both serve in the Israeli Gov] have indulged in persistent propaganda which diminishes the importance of Jerusalem to the Muslim faith: 1) Deny any strong Muslim connection to Jerusalem 2) Praise and honor Arab-killers by the naming of streets and towns after terrorists from Lehi and Irgun. 3.Jews have every right to live in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalems Old City, that is not in dispute. As Bill Clinton proposed. What is Jewish for the Jews and what is Palestinian for the Palestinians.[Just stop expanding what is Jewish and driving out Palestinians]. A lot of Jews voted for Obama the first time around as they are liberals on economics and foreign policy, as opposed to warmongers[ala Bush]and anti welfare[ala Republicans]. You Americans only know what you know, which all too typically is not much more than Sarah Palin.
When was the last time you attended a Jewish prayer service? Are you going to tell the people at the Seder you attend, when it is concluded they are loonies, they don't understand the realities of the New Middle East, that Jews are really Europeans who belong somewhere else, that . . . Ah! How we obssess when we sit around a table recalling what happened so long ago. To you, my dear lady I say Dayenu, it would be enough with your foot stuck in the door, screaming "ouch, let me out of here" and you haven't even passed through into the Promised Land. Maybe the Chabad movement is right when they say we are still in Exile!
and who knows better than Israel who's had to respond to it longer than any other group of people? 9-11 was America's formal initiation to becoming allied w/ Israel and all democracies, who fight these religious racists enemies of humanity. The USA looks to Israel for prevention, and victory over the terrorists whom Bin Laden calls his own. It's US or them. SO far, Obama has made no demands of the Palestinians, even to request the return of kidnapped Israeli soldier, Eliad Shalit. And Iran builds the bomb while homes in Israel seems to Obama, a priority??
he's become a cult hero. People love to see Israel kick dust in the serpent's face.
How about the principle of all human life being worthy of respect? Or how about the principle that all people should equally enjoy basic human rights and human dignity? In the efforts of Bibi and others to turn Jerusalem into a biblical theme park the ethnic cleansing and oppression of fellow human beings who happen to profess a different religion represents gross violation of these fundamental principles.
If Bibi is the Prime Minister of Jerualem, are you intimating that his predecessors were all 'Prime Ministers of Tel Aviv'? I was in Tel Aviv last week and it dawned on me that the establishment of the state might have been a Tel Aviv event. We Jerusalemites are indicating the primacy of Jerusalem. Without Jerusalem the State of Israel might have evolved into another Birobijan.
Whoever expected from Arafat the type of third world secular Marxist guerrila that become a democract, was inmediately disappointed . He was more religious than Hammas, and Jerusalem was more important for him than "hakh el auda" ( the right of return) Fatah does not differ from Hammas and neither differ from Nataniahu. All of them speak the same language, that expllain volumes why Nataniahu is important for Israel. He voices loudly EL QUDS.... sorry...that was Arafat. Nataniahu voices colonization of Jerusalem.
It may be a good idea to follow America's lead and enforce the separation of state and religion. If religious motives for the colonisation of the Occupied Territories were dismissed, would there be a pragmatic reason to do it? Probably not. In reality, there are no giant invisible fairies justifying every cruel act against the Arabs, and it's time that some of Israel's leadership moved into the 21st century, and acted like adults. We have a responsibility to be decent to each other. We should not let a millennia-old superstition drive us to these continuous acts of brutality.
Bibi is our PM and we stand by him. "Old" and "Archaic" is exactly what our proud nation deserves. We are more than 3000 years in this Land and Bibi knows it and is proud of it. We want leaders like whom who know the truth. Hopefully he becomes more confident though and starts to tell the world the truth rather than what it wants to hear because it hates the idea of proud strong Jews living in their Homeland.
In the attempt to mock and ridicule Netenyahu, Rosenblum instead elevates him. How wonderful that the Prime Minister, at bedrock, has a Jewish soul. The flimsy Jewish connection of a Doron Rosenblum would, in the end, be our destruction. The Promise of the Torah (yes, Doron, the Torah is true!) is what guarantees us our existence, in Jerusalem, Israel, and everywhere else. Good to hear that Netenyahu, even if he himself does not quite understand it, retains the connection. Get with it, Doron- you are so behind the times! The new stregnth of Torah observance across the USA is our greatest asset. May G-d protect those of you in Israel, and may you strive to turn your anti-Torah heart back to the Holy One of Israel. Then, and only then, will we merit a protectioj from Heaven that zahal cannot provide.
The greatest threat facing all of us comes from those who think they understand, but in reality do not have a clue.
Mr. Rosenblum, you sound like a complete idiot. Without Jerusalem, there is no Israel. We are on this piece of land because and only because HaShem gave it to us. There is no "realpolitik". Your ultra radical leftist views are summed up when you speak of us "Judaizing" Jerusalem - as if Jerusalem is anything but and has never been anything but Jewish. We will never divide Jerusalem. The Arabs living there can either live in peace with us, while being citizens of Jordan, or they can move to Jordan or any other of the 22 Arab states. We Jews have only Eretz Yisrael and only Jerusalem, all of it, as our capital.
I believe that the US has been patient in trying to understand BB's point of view. We/I have been following him since the late 80's. Please believe me when I say that I am a supporter of Israel. That being said, I sense a major shift in mood here in the US toward Israel. I comes from the confluence of many events over the past few years. Bottom line my friends: you are viewed as intransegent. We are your friends, do not ignore our expressed concerns.
why not!???? why are the Jews any different than other peoples...such as the Palestinians. they are allowed and Jews not? ma nishtanah... lets cut the intellectual crap and do what we have to do! makes sense to me!
If only Netanyahu were what Rosenblum claims. If only he had those values. The PM who gave in to a settlement freeze in exchange for nothing at all, the PM who gave the Palestinians Hebron in the Wye agreements, the PM who subverted his own party's democratic process to marginalize Jewish nationalists like Moshe Feiglin. Netanyahu is the truest centrist politician Israel has had in decades. With Labor in the coalition as well as national-religious parties, with a push to make health care free, with agreement to the settlement freeze, and-yes, with the gumption to stand up to Obama on Jerusalem (well within the L/R Israeli consensus, BTW) Netanyahu is a compromiser par excellence- thus keeping alive the hope of Rosenblum and his ilk the hope that he can be bullied and pushed around, by insults like 'anachronism' as well as by int'l pressure. Let's indeed hope that a Netanyahu who believes in the eternal right of Jews to our own homeland centered on Jerusalem emerges.
Looking at history, I'm not sure any religion can lay claim that Jerusalem is their capital. But one thing I'm quite sure of is that E.Jerusalem was not included as part of Israel in the UNGAR181 partition plan, and any settlements in subsequently occupied territory are a violation of article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention.
Get out of the whole of Palestinian land go back were you all come from.
I have been reading articles here every day of the current crisis in US-Israeli relations. This is the first and only one that I felt provided any meaningful explanation of what on earth is going on from Netanyahu's perspective. I have been angered and insulted by this government's actions toward my own; its apparent inability to move even slightly towards peace; and have been wondering how on earth this government could be so blind and thoughtless. This article finally provides some explanation I can fathom; it allows me, at least, to consider that the people behind the demand to keep building in East Jerusalem have some motive other than arrogance and aggression and I am grateful for the insight provided. I remain appalled and frustrated by the actions of the Netanyahu administration. But at least I have some means of considering why it is that they are doing things I consider so plainly self-destructive and just plain wrong.
Observing halacha is always the correct way in the end, even if we cannot always see the end result. This has been our problem for the last 2000 years. When someone finally comes along and says, we're not going to give up our beautiful asset 40 years after gracefully receiving it from the almighty after 2000 years of yearning, and after all the Jewish soldiers that gave their lives for it, your damn right we're keeping it.
Dear Doron Rosenblum, I read your entire article carefully. I have a question for you: Do you realize that the Palestinian "moderates" you would like Netanyahu to give land to: 1) Deny ANY Jewish connection to Jerusalem 2) Praise and honor Jew-killers Or do you know this, and just ignore it, in your desired to be loved by "the world". With regard to America, Do you realize that most of the American people (unlike Obama and Clinton) think that Jews have every right to live in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalems Old City, among other places, now and forever. A lot of Jews voted for Obama the first time around to prove to themselves how "progressive" they are. Now most see that 20 years of Rev. Wright may just have rubbed off a little on Barak Obama. We Americans know that Netanyahu is on the side of U.S. interests in insisting that any PA entity not be a state of terrorist-praisers, and that ABBAS' PA routinely praises killers of Americans and Jews.
Of course you already know what kind of PM is needed. Ultimately, in terms of the present Prime Minister, we must ask is he ready to rise to the level of greatness. The answer, which only he can provide, will determine his impact on Israel's future and on how he will be remembered.
1.The big three religions claim to believe in One God. 2.However this god does not refer to One and the same God and which has been wreaking havoc in Jerusalem and everywhere else. 3.For as long as this DIVIDED GOD rules the earth, there can be NO PEACE in Jerusalem or elsewhere. 4.OTHER NAMES GIVEN TO THIS DIVIDED GOD: dajjal, antichrist, satan, devil, primordial monster, one-eyed snake, etc. 5.The Moshiachs Meal of Five Loaves from a small shepherd boy is the only SCIENTIFIC FORMULA that catches TWO BIG FISH: the devil and the One True God. 6.Therefore the correct move for noisy hard-headed stopgap leaders are simply this: a.admitt that they do not have the correct food for the hungry multitude and hungry university students and b.start searching for the small shepherd boy-mahdi. 7.Happy Feast Day to St. Joseph.
for 2000 we pray and pray to return to JM.now we are facing with leftist lecture to give up our right because they say so. not on your life remmember the day we capture JM. remmember dayan robin and elazar remmember what we have done so put your pen down and quit writing
Rosenblum probably is capturing the essence of Prime Minister's perception on Jerusalem, which is the most difficult core issue in the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Its not negative articles from Haaretz which do so much to harm Israel's national interests.