Sheikh Ra'ad Salah's calls for a jihad against Israel worked. At the last minute, the government was deterred from executing its plan to demolish the mosques on the Temple Mount and from exploiting the Sukkot pilgrimage to Jerusalem to lay the cornerstone of the Third Temple. For fear of Intifada III, the transfer of East Jerusalem Arabs to Umm al-Fahm was also put on hold.
When Jews are accused of harboring the most absurd intentions, the world media chorus, joined by a few Israeli soloists, fans the flames without bothering to check the facts. And though inflammatory nonsense about diabolical plans has been repeated every few months over the past 40 years, it is of course Israel that is accused of playing with fire that can only lead to war between Islam and Judaism. MK Ibrahim Sarsur was a bit more modest: He merely warned of an impending world war.
The original sin came soon after paratroop commander Motta Gur radioed his historic announcement - "The Temple Mount is in our hands" - on June 7, 1967. Instead of accustoming the dazed Islamic world to a natural and understandable Jewish presence on the Mount, defense minister Moshe Dayan ordered that it be handed over to the Waqf, the religious endowment entrusted with looking after Muslim property. And when the Waqf saw that the Jews were not aware of the historical, religious and political significance of this concession, it transformed the Jewish people's holiest site into an autonomous Palestinian religious-governmental center and kept the Jews out.
The rabbinic establishment then reinforced Dayan's historic folly by forbidding Jews from entering the Temple Mount compound for religious reasons. Thus the government and the rabbinate together bolstered the Palestinian Arab narrative, which maintains that the place is holy for Muslims alone.
The fact that the Muslim world has never responded to the frequent calls for jihad by Sheikh Salah and his cohorts has done nothing to alter the false Jewish idea that a Jewish presence on the Temple Mount would lead to a religious war between Islam and Judaism. This destructive notion has enabled the Arabs to do as they wish on the Mount and in other parts of Jerusalem, including running national and governmental centers in Israel's capital.
The most prominent of these used to be Orient House, about which a document submitted to a previous administration declared that taking control of it was "liable to set the Middle East alight." But when the Palestinians went too far, security forces did occupy the building, where they found weapons as well as intelligence documents. It was shut down, and apart from a poorly attended protest - where many of the demonstrators were Israeli Jews - the Middle East reacted the way it reacts to the cries of "Wolf! Wolf!" about the Temple Mount. And so Orient House dropped out of the headlines and fell into oblivion.
Dayan also left the keys of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron in the Waqf's hands. But in Hebron, the Jews refused to surrender their rights, so the government was forced - despite threats of a religious war - to grant equal prayer time to Jews and Arabs. And over the last 30 years, despite Baruch Goldstein's massacre of Muslims at prayer and other grave incidents, both Muslims and Jews have grown used to the status quo.
Even at this late date, it is essential to equalize Jews' status on the Temple Mount with that of Muslims (excepting, of course, the right to enter the mosques). The Arabs will threaten a jihad and condemnations will pour in from all sides. But in time, Jewish determination will make the Muslims and their Jewish backers get used to the new reality. And the police, thousands of whom are currently plagued by Salah's habit of stirring up trouble during the Jewish holidays, will be able to spend these festivals with their families, just like other Israelis do.
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The best thing for Jews and Arabs to do is to sell the temple mount to the Chinese. We will clear everything on it and we will build casinos on the disputed site. Thousands of us (Chinese) will come to Temple Mount every month to gamble there. This will create jobs for both Jews and Arabs and everybody will be happy and there will be no more war. Lim Chua Hoy Singapore
Benedict XVI helping an Israeli government restore the Temple in Jerusalem? A brotherly advice from one of your "spiritual brethren": Get your head examined. Now. Don't wait too long. It may get worse.
Have you? Over 600 villages destroyed and over 500,000 driven from their homes. The Arabs of Israel are a remanant. Many of them former residents of villages razed by Israel. They were ordered from those villages into designated quarters in larger towns where they lived under military rule until 1966. How many Muslim cemeteries were bulldozed over? How many mosques from those hundreds of destroyed villages? Or do those not count. I am fully aware of the destruction of synagogues in the Old City destroyed and have and do condemn it. I am also aware that the keys of the Bet El Synagogue in the Old City were kept by the former Arab costodian and was left intact. So don't play one sided in this argument. It worked both ways and Jews were no less disrespectful than others. If you want more facts I will provide them.
I hope more Christians will study and understand Romans chapter 11 in the Bible. If they understand this chapter they will realize that G-D has used the Israelites for our salvation. Be thankful that we have been grafted into the Olive Tree. I hope the Roman Catholic Pope and all other Christian Faith Leaders will help Israel restore the Temple in Jerusalem, and follow G-D?s plan, Romans 11:2. Israelites are our spiritual brethren. Quit trying to proselyte them. Please pass this message to Rome. Thank you. Bless Israel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfF6-TkAnBM&feature=related
"the kind that Israel endlessly invents in order to perpetuate the conflict, since for several excellent reasons, any prolonged outbreak of peace would destroy Israel as a nation." I'd be interested to hear your fascinating resasoning behind this statement.
Your photo evidence, which is on an anti-Muslim propaganda site, claims to be from 1875, not the 1930s, which is when the site claims Al Aqsa became the Muslims' third holiest site. If true, that would, of course explain its pristine condition in 1967, but not your post.
The government and responsible Muslim authorities have managed to get things calmed down and Mr. Harel is trying to stir some riots.
Maybe there's hope for the Jew after all. Two peoples sharing all of Palestine. It doesn't matter about the imported Ashkenazi Jews. Share the land. Stop killing each other. One man, one vote, equal rights for all. No to apartheid. No to occupation. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. For all. And don't forget the refugees. Let them come home. Salaam/Shalom
if the Palestinian Arabs rejected UNSCR 181 or kissed every page. There is only one international law-maker and that is the UN. Their decision stands until they decide to overturn or supersede it. To date they have chosen to do neither. In international law as things stand: * Beersheba, Ashkelon, Sederot, Nazareth and many other parts of Israel are not legally parts of Israel at all, they are occupied territories * Israel should vacate J'sem, West and East, to be placed under international control * Israel should withdraw completely from the West bank, lock, stock and barrel, settlers and impedimentia. Not one single one of the land claims Israel makes, territories it has occupied or justifications it advances have any validity in law.
"Everytime I go to the Kotel I pray for the day that I will be able to pray on the temple mount." (Avi) Keep praying. And leave some work to Mashiach. "We are the most discriminated people on the face of this earth." Poor little tiny Jewish state, the most discriminated on the face of this earth. And also the only democratic country on earth to be still ruling, after 42 years have past, over a foreign and stateless population. "we'll have the chutspah to do what we want." (Avi) And what do you think we have been doing till now? "The war's seventh day, which began on June 12, 1967, and has continued to this day, is the product our choice. We enthusiastically chose to become a colonial society, ignoring international treaties, expropriating lands, transferring settlers from Israel to the occupied territories, engaging in theft and finding justification for all these activities." in "The war's seventh day", Haaretz March 3, 2002, by Michael Ben-Yair, former Attorney General of Israel (1993-1996). www.seruv.org.il/english/article.asp?msgid=77&type=article
" ... leaving Gaza to the PA to govern." (Danny) That's a lie. We UNILATERALLY withdrew from Gaza, opening its gates wide before the worst of our enemies, while publicly insulting ("a non-partner, a featherless chick") the man the Palestinians had elected for Chairman just six months earlier. Who are you trying to fool? Israel handed back the whole of Sinai to President Sadat, and got peace. We abandoned Gaza to nobody, and got war with a tiny Islamist enclave armed with home-made rockets, we cannot live with - nor defeat. We who knew, once, how to defeat three Arab armies, in six days. There is a price to all folly, mister.
"I take it your knowledge of Islamic history is very poor. If you had bothered to read any history book, you`d have concluded that Muslims had always avoided building mosques on sites were other religions had build their places of worship" I'm not sure whether you've noticed but, ahhhhh... There are 2 mosques sitting right on top of the most holy site of all for Jews. Your most basic perception is very poor.
"I take it your knowledge of Islamic history is very poor. If you had bothered to read any history book, you`d have concluded that Muslims had always avoided building mosques on sites were other religions had build their places of worship" How many Byzantine churches were converted to mosques? Do some research before spewing.
Although it is a popular story that Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren asked General Moshe Dayan to blow up the mosques on the Temple Mount, I have never found a reliable source. I suspect it contains an element of wishful thinking. As we recognise Islam as a genuine pure and iconoclastic monotheistic faith, there would be no justification for damaging their holy places.
Not only did Jordan destroy every synagogue in Arab Jerusalem, they even used the marble grave stones from the ancient and historic Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives facing the Temple Mount for paving floors in latrines. In recent years the Muslim officials of Aksa have been removing evidence of the two Temples that once stood on the Mount. In earlier centuries the Muslims wre proud that their mosque stood on the spot of the Holy of Holies of Solmon's Temple. Now they claim Solomon built his Temple in Yemen !!!!
The Jews built nothing on the Mount after it was destroyed in 70 CE because their laws forbade it and the Christians agreed. Jews and most Christians always knew the Mount was Judaism's first holy site. Muslims conveniently overlook the facts. The truth is that Muslims were invaders of the entire Middle East who told those people they conquered they had a choice: Convert to Islam, pay a tax or die. Muslims thought nothing of killing millions of people if it would improve their power and pocketbook. They should have stayed at home instead of causing violence and fear for 1400 years. They still do it today, and people are sick of it!
There is no religious significance to the Temple Mount for Muslims, except for lies the Muslims propagate. Mohammed did not ascend to heaven from the Dome. He had been dead for decades when the Dome was completed in 691 CE. Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Qaran. What is mentioned is that Allah says Israel belongs to the Jews.
It is not at all clear from the Koran that Mohamet's night journey involved Jerusalem as Jerusalem is never mentioned in the Koran. [ It is mentioned more than 300 times in the Bible] There is an entire body of Rabbinical responsa literature discussing the sanctity of the Temple Mount. Some of this literature is included in the Mishna, 2nd Century CE icluding opinions from Sages who had been present in the Temple.
No, it is not forbidden in Islam to desecrate houses of worship. It is encouraged! Otherwise, explain to me, if you can, why the tomb of Joseph was desecrated several years ago. Forever burned into my brain is the picture of hateful Muslims stomping on holy texts with their filthy feet. At the top of one text was the holy name of G*d. A Muslim had his foot posed over it and a huge grin on his blasphemous face. After you explain that one, explain all the destroyed synagogues in Aza. I'll let a Xian comment on destroyed and desecrated churches.
Moslems can visit the Kotel plaza without interference but I doubt that they would be allowed to hold an organized prayer group there. Similarly Jews should be allowed to visit the Temple Mount although the current status quo of no organized Jewish prayer seems reasonable. What actually happens is that they dog Jews and to ensure they are not even whispering a prayer. That is ridiculous, oppressive and uncalled for.
On 26th May 1453 the Muslim invaders entered the magnificent church of Haga Siphia, the jewel of Byzantium or Constantinople -- now known as Istambul -- and slaughtered the priets at the high altar, later changing the church into a mosque, painting over the precious mosaics. In recent years Muslims in Gaza demolished synagogues, as soon as Jews left, ending the 'occupation' in 2005, leaving Gaza to the PA to govern.
You forget the Temple Mount is also holy to a billion Christians. Anywhere Jesus stepped is holy to Christians. The West Bank Muslims have succeeded in squeezing almost all Christians out of the West Bank, which was the main area of Jesus' ministry. The Muslims did the same thing to Egyptian Christian Copts, who are the descendants of Pharaohs, when they conquered Egypt and shunted the Copts aside. It seems to me these Muslims aren't good at building things but are good at taking them away from others.
"SDHD, may I ask you a question? What happened to all those mosques and religious properties in the Arab towns of Palestine that were razed to build moshavim and kibbutzim and to settle the Jews being brought into those areas? " There are 1.5 million Arabs in Israel. Are they without mosques? When Jordan captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem, every single synagogue was destroyed. Think about it.
So the Jews and Christians, who built ancient Jurusalem, are infidels? Not a single Muslim stepped foot in the Holy Land of the Jews and Christians until the 7th century CE, when they conquered, oppressed and stomped the people there. The Muslims do not obey their own holy book. In chapter 13, verses 100-104, Allah says Israel belongs to the Jews. I personally believe the Quran was corrupted by early Muslims, when they changed the order of the verses with the first being last and the last being first. I believe the war-like verses were added after Mohammed died. Is it any wonder these Muslims have been unsuccessful in taking over the Holy Land? Their own god does not support them.
It seems that Moslem positions are always charecterized by arrogance and intolerance of others. The odd issue is "when did arrogance and intolerance" become liberal values? That is to say, we've come to expect that from the world of Islam, but what motivates the naive Western appologists for them?
Everytime I go to the Kotel I pray for the day that I will be able to pray on the temple mount. This past summer, we were there for my sons Bar-Mitsvah. I blessed him with the prayer that the day will come in his life time when he will be able to pray at the mount. When we realize that we are the most discriminated people on the face of this earth, then, maybe, we'll have the chutspah to do what we want.
so that they can share their ancestral homeland with Jewish Israelis. It is only fair. If you are prepared to let Israel/Palestine be shared between Jewish Israelis and Palestinians, including the 1948 refugees and their descendants, then I don't think the Palestinians would mind sharing the Noble Sanctuary with Jewish Israelis.
SDHD, may I ask you a question? What happened to all those mosques and religious properties in the Arab towns of Palestine that were razed to build moshavim and kibbutzim and to settle the Jews being brought into those areas? Were they respected? What of the Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem over which Israel built a parking lot and now waants to take more of for a tourist hotel? What of the attempt by the Muslims in Beersheva to reopen the mosque that had served the Muslim majority of that town? What of the religius buildings in Baram and Iqrit? As for wiping clean, the Jews did that in West Jerusalem. Remember the bombing at the Semiramis Hotel?
"To Sherlock Holmes - You need to move your magnifying glass to the 1947 UN resolution 181, which is the foundation stone of the modern state of Israel, rather then the indecisive and irrelevant political chicaneries of San Remo etc. You will see that Hebron and Bethlehem were NOT designated part of the Jewish state and nor was Jerusalem, which was (and therefore still is under UN law) intended to be under International control." Your magnifying glass is too narrow. The Arabs rejected 181 completely and tried to take over the entire area. The areas which did come under Arab control were completely wiped clean of Jews. The areas which came under Arab control had their Jewish religious and holy sites either destroyed or desecrated.
"This place has been an exclusive Muslim sanctuary for over 1400 years." No, it hasn't been "exclusively" Muslim. It's been the holiest site for Jews for 3000 years. By building a couple of mosques on top of it didn't convert it -- as you can see.
Why should the Muslims share Temple Mount while Israeli settlers push Arabs off their land? Why should the Temple Mount be opened for Jews as the Jews build a wall cutting off Palestinians from their livelihood? Why should the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims give up anything as long as the Israelis treat them as inferior peoples? Israel needs to start an honest and sincere dialog on ending the occupation before anything is given up to Israel. On the other hand, everyone knows Israel's propensity for taking things by military force regardless of the human losses for the Palestinians.
I asked you to explain why your people have destroyed and desecrated 100's of mosques, some are over 1000 years old, and all you could come up with was some pathetic claims about Gaza school books? How is a school book is related to desecrating ancient places of worship? then you refer to acts of violence in in war torn Somalia as another feeble way of avoiding to answer the question! Is this the best you can do or you are failing to provide the usual hasbara?
It is common knowledge that Moshe Dayan was requested urgently by the Chief Rabbi at the time to destroy the Golden Dome. It is also common knowledge that he refused on the basis that it was a religious site. So much for morality. However, it is without a doubt that if the situation were reversed and there was a Third Jewish Temple sitting where the Golden Dome presently is, that it would have been torn down and probably looted, as the first two Temples were. Withour passing judgement on anyone, from a purely historical perspective, had the Golden Dome been destroyed, it would have established the continuation of the conquerors. There is no doubt in my mind, that the hesitancy and then inaction on the part of Moshe Dayan was a major reason for the upheaveals we all face today. It is too late to correct this error and, unfortunately, Israel must, at some point in time factor in this claim to Palestinian legitimacy in Israel as part of the negotiations with them. Moshe Dayan was
"It is essential to equalize Jews' status on the Temple Mount with that of Muslims." (Israel Harel) First, equalize the right of the Jews with that of Muslims to freely enter the Temple Mount/ Haram al-Sharīf, and to hold there prayers. Then start building them a synagogue. After a while, start calling it by its real name: the Third Temple. What is in your eyes a "very sensible article", sounds completely crazy to mine. The surest way to hell.
That is the problem.you didn't want to share it when it was Jordan,and no "permit was given to any Israeli that wanted to worship,and you don't want to share it even now.Typical,monopoly for Muslims on sacred places in two continent,and the third is on the way.Look what Muslims are doing all over everyday,and you talk about losing the way.Islamo-centric mentality is what happening in south-China,and Thailand,Indonesia and the Philippines.Pakistan Afghanistan and Lebanon.Jerusalem,London,and Madrid.don't you have a mirror home?.
"Temple Mount has ALWAYS been Jewish." (David) Right, ALWAYS. As from king David. That is an indisputable fact. As is indisputable the fact that it has remainded so under the Romans, the Byzantines, the Persians, the Seljuks, the Crusaders, Arabs, Mongols, Mamelukes, and the Ottomans, and the British. And the Jordanians. It will always remain the holiest site of the Jewish people, no matter who controls it. Until Mashiach comes. "We can wait for peace." (David) For how long? "Time is against us. Demographically, it works for the Palestinians, and politically, in favor of Hamas and the settlers." Ami Ayalon, former chief of the Israely navy, then head of the Shin Bet - in December 22, 2001. www.middleeast.org/comments/1/3652.shtml In 2001, very few Israelis took Ayalon's warning seriously. Today, Hamas, whose name, up to the first Intifada, no one had heard, is in full control of the Palestinian parliament and of the Gaza Strip - now an islamist enclave we cannot live with nor defeat.
He follows the dictum: "What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine. This article brought to mind an amazing story of changing hearts and the resistance to changing hearts. A Palestinian's young daughteer was shot by the IDF and died. After her death he decided to donate the organs of the child. I believe it was the heart that would go to a small girl from a Hassidic or ultra Orthodox family, another organ went to a Druze child. When the father visited both families the reception was very different. The visit to the Orthodox family was clearly uneasy and stiff. The Orthodox father even had second thoughts about meeting the palestinan father. Finally, he received him and it was very uncomfortable since he had never conceived of a Palestinian in this contxt. It was not in his vocabulary. His whole religious impulse was against it. Yet one has to believe that this incredible action by the Palestinian did crack his heart open a bit. One hopes. God bless that Palestinian father.
Why Share the Haram el sharif and Al Aqsa with Israeli Jews? Wake up and read History ... I'm sorry the Muslims Built the site more than 1000 years ago. It belongs to the billion or so Muslims around the world .. Why can't the Jews build their temple outside the area were the Muslims pray. And leave the area alone to the locals.. and the Muslim world. The Jewish temple was destroyed 500 (ish) years before the Muslims set-foot in the city.. come on grow up people... It is a Muslim site full stop. If you don't like well drink the sea at Gaza !
You share that with many other Jews and many Muslims. It will destroy you. It is hatred and covetousness. That is what destroyed Bayt Sheni. The only thing that can change this is if, imagine, in the case of rioting Jews and Muslims on the Temple Mount a Jews is shot or struck with a rock by a Muslim and vice versa, and the perpetrators suddenly stop and look at what they have done. The Jew runns to the wounded Muslim to aid him and the Muslim runs to the wounded Jew to aid hi. Now that, would change hearts. You are not prepared to do that so yyou bring stones down upon yourself. Its all you know.
My knowledge of Islamic history coming from books you'r not allowed to read,written for all the world,and not the books you'r used to read,written only for muslims(like Gaza school books)."It is forbidden in Islam to desecrate places of worship"Realy?the Buddha in Afghanistan,Kenia:Islamist attack church in northern town in effort to seize land for Mosque.Somalia:Islamists began demolishing an old Roman Catholic church to replace it with a Mosque.Hagia Sophia is a FORMER Orthodox basilica,LATER a Mosque,now moseum in Istanbul. I could go on for ever,it isn't hard to find through history the lack of respect to anything that isn't Muslim.But you would have known all of that,if you read the"global"history books,and not the Mullah's history books.
The most recent UN resolution on boundaries say that Israel and the PA should have 'agreed borders', so the question is not settled yet. Earlier plans saw Jerusalem as remaining British or becoming international, but these are both now unrealistic. My own view is that East Jerusalem should have PA local govt. but remain part of one united city under Israeli security control. From 1948 to 1967 there was a wall dividing the city, but this is also unrealistic. Since around 1850 Jerusalem has been a predominantly Jewish city. It's Jewish links go back to King David, about 3,000 years ago.
Israel refuses access to Jerusalem to the non Jewish residents of gaza and the west bank. For those who are lucky enough to have a Israeli "permit"...you have to endure the humilliation of the Kalendia checkpoint... And this guy has the nerve to say Muslims need to share the Temple Mount with Jews? The people of Israel have lost their way...they have no ability to see the world or their actions thru anything but an extremist Judeao-centric mentality.
I quoted the various maps to show that our right to be in Jerusalem was acknowledged by the international community. At various times Jerusalem and district was seen remaining British or becoming international -- but it was not seen as an Arab city. The world also accepted the Jewish right to be in Hebron and Bethlehem. Obviously we also have the right to share them with the Arabs and a PA state -- we have a right to expect peaceful co-existence, which is what the UN partition plan called for.
The UN partition plan that you refer to was based on the concept of an Arab-Israeli Economic Union, i.e. working together as two states of one country. The Israelis accepted the UN plan in its entirety BUT the Arabs rejected both the borders and the economic union that went with it. They chose instead to do their best to destroy the nascent Jewish state. The Arabs today continue to reject the UN / League of Nations / Balfour Declaration concept of a Jewish state.
I just wonder why Israel had to go through the hell that it did at the beginning of the 21st century? Why the suicide bombings, why did Sharon have to go up there w/a thousand policemen, after having to go after every single hamas or fatah operative he could. The responses the author gives, might perhaps be the reason... Raed Salah, notwithstanding. Why give up Gush Katif, and get the mess in Gaza, which is benefiting no-one, not even the Palestinians? Of course, there is poverty, misery, violence and corruption in every corner of the world, including Eretz Yisroel.
Just because Muslims decided to put a Mosque on it doesnt change the fact it was built to house the Temple for Jews, not for Muslims. This is why there will never be peace. Muslims must acknowledge this fact and respect it. Can Muslims do that???????? Respect Judaism?? Acknowledge facts?? If not there will never be peace. Jews are very patient. We can wait for peace. Can the Arab world continue to maintain this lie indefinitely??
The decades have shown the Wakf desecrates the Holy of Holies. All people must be removed from the Temple Mount so that can end. This is shared freedom of ANYONE on the Temple Mount. IT makes the most sense. Muslims need to respect other religions something that does not occur in many parts of the world...i.e. India, Israel, including Judea and Samaria, Thailand, etc.
Michael, we are not talking about the RCs and Anglicans sharing the shrine of Our Lady of Walshingham in Norfolk. Jews and Muslims are obssessed with sacred space, land on which it stands or sits and historical memory. They are paramount to everything else. There is little memory of sharing, only controlling and the Temple Mount has become, for nationalist religious Jews, a flash point, the apex, the zenith, with growing segments of that population seeing it as THE national symbol, concentrated in the building of the Third Temple. Muslims see it as their third sacred shrine, inseperable from Mecca/Medina. The only way this will change is if hearts change and at this time in history both these communites have hearts of stone. The combo of religion and nationalism is toxic. That is what we are witnessing.
From my 13 yrs of living in Israel, most of it in Jerusalem, I seem to remember that the Cenacle on Mt. Zion, which Christian tradition says was the site of the last Supper and Pentecost was a medival church, now a mosque, though no longer used as such. Also the small mosque on the Mt. of Olives that commemorates the Ascension of Jesus now has a small mosque and I think is property of the waqf. The Cave of Eliyahu Hanabi at Mt. Carmel, is on the other hand, used, or at least was in the 70s by both Jews and Muslims. I think before the state of Israel there were many sites throughout the Hoily Land that were revered by both Jews and Muslims and sometimes Christians as well, ie. Al Khader, near Mar Elias.
"The maps of the League of Nations British Mandate at San Remo in 1920 also clearly include Jerusalem, Hebron and Bethlehem as part of the Jewish state." (S. Holmes) Then what? Should we, because of San Remo, annex the West Bank? With ALL its population? "We must have a Palestinian state in our neighborhood, or we will become a Palestinian state." Yehoshafat Harkabi (1921-1994), head of Israeli Military Intelligence (1955-1959), then professor and director of the Institute of International Relations and Middle East Studies, at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
I take it your knowledge of Islamic history is very poor. If you had bothered to read any history book, you'd have concluded that Muslims had always avoided building mosques on sites were other religions had build their places of worship otherwise how do you think the thousands of churches and other places of worship had survived not only in the Holy Land but in the neighbouring countries like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and beyond d to this day. It is forbidden in Islam to desecrate places of worship which is more than I can say about the Israelis who have destroyed and desecrated 100's of mosques throughout Palestine following the creation of the State of Israel in 1948
I'm not a big fan of any religion, but as far as I'm concerned anybody should be allowed to practise their religion anywhere as long as they respect others.
Israel controls every aspect of the lives of the Palestinians. Israel says who can come and who can go. Who should work and who should not, Who gets money and who gets none. Israel decides who gets medical treatment, who gets supplies and who gets jailed. The list is enless and is intolerable. Harels solution? The Palestinans should grant concesions to Israel. This makes sense only to like minded Israelis. To the world in general it is the usual insanity we have come to expect.
We cant even agree on sharing a sacred place for both,and i was naive enough to believe that we can share the land.What chance two state solution has when we can see that even that won't bring peace.The two states will go to war a short time after the creation of a Palestinian state.The Palestinians continuous demands,and their continuous refusals,is only strengthening the opposition for two state solution.They shoot themselves on their foot.
(a) Abraham is a myth, and there was no such thing as Jewish history in 2000 BCE. In the tale he buys the cave from a Hittite, 3 centuries before they were known to history. (2) In May 1916, the Balfour Declaration hadn't been made, and no Allied postwar plan had been agreed to. The only agreement at the time was McMahon-Hussein accord. (3) The UN in creating Israel in 1947, i.e. where legitimacy lies, did not include Hebron in the area assigned to Israel. San Remo had nothing to do with determining the topological boundaries of a Jewish state. The map in Gilbert's book p.8 does not refer to a San Remo agreement, but to the area of the British Mandate ''in which" Jews "hope" to set up their homeland.
You see the essential difference between the Tomb of the Patriarchs/Matriarchs in Hebron is a shrine to the past, a prayer space exclusively. Not so with the Temple Mount, as one can read from the literature of the Temple Mount Faithful and their supporters who are many in nationalist and religious circles. The Temple Mount is all about the future, about restoration, about reinstitution of the sacrifical cult and the building of the Third Temple. Does Harel really believe that the efforts of these nationalists so adamantly fired up by a place, would be fulfilled with the erection of a prayeer room or a small synagogue? Get real! The calls would go out, indeed have gone out, to begin the building of the Temple, restore the priests to their functions and renew sacrifices. What is the attempt to secure the site from the Muslims all about if not this? As for Jews visiting, Muslims welcome them to do so, as visitors not as those who seek to take it away saying all they want is to "share".
"The temple mount is in Palestinian territory" Part of Copenhagen is already that too.As far as i know there is no Danish policeman that dare walks there,or patrol.The Palestinians are huge problem in your country,and it will get worse.Didn't they dance on your streets on 9/11 or dressed their children(3 years old)as a suicide bomber under demonstration in the town squer.Wasn't it two Palestinians Imams that have started all the violence for your cartoon. But i guess you'r one of the Unity-list or SF, the one that have supported the Soviet, China, and east-Germany,are now supporting Islamic terror.Luckily you'r a little minority.
My bets are with Moshe Dayan and not this nationalist inciter. The Temple Mount/Haram el Sharif has been a Muslim shrine for 13 centuries. Let's see Harel's reaction to the Waqf declaring that the Kotel is the place where Baraq , the heavenly steed that carried Mohammad to Heaven in Islamic tradition, was teethered and that to commemorate this spot, they wish to erect a small mosque and hold prayer there in coordination with the Jews, who should be willing to conceed "half" control. This blather of Harel is nothing but a cover for a take over of the Temple Mount, and would throw the status quo of religious sites into a state of chaos. Harel also adds the event of Baruch Goldstein as a minor addendum. He forgets to mention that it was also proposed by Rabbi Goren that Hebron be razed in revenge of the 1929 massacre of 67 Jews. If the followers of B. Goldstein could do that, believe me, they would carry it out as a religious commandment. Rabbinic decree is also glibly dismissed by Harel.
Zionism was never meant to be a Jewish Crusade.
magnifying glass to the 1947 UN resolution 181, which is the foundation stone of the modern state of Israel, rather then the indecisive and irrelevant political chicaneries of San Remo etc. You will see that Hebron and Bethlehem were NOT designated part of the Jewish state and nor was Jerusalem, which was (and therefore still is under UN law) intended to be under International control. You will also see that Beersheba, Sederot, Ashkelon, Nazareth etc were allocated to the Arab state, not to Israel. Their status today remains that of occupied territories in the eyes of the law. They are not de jure parts of Israel. Zio supporters have a real penchant for inventing pseudo-historical claims and maintaining that black is indupitably white, despite all evidence to the contrary.
It's been the site of a mosque for perhaps 1,400 years, BUT the mosque was only built there because it had been the site of the Jewish Temple built by Solomon. Arabs have lived in Jerusalem for about 1,400 years and Jews have lived there for about 3,000 years. Isn't it time we learnt to live together?
Hebron has been a focal point of Jewish history for about 4,000 years, from the time of Abraham, when he bought the burial cave where he and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah are buried. In May 1916 the Allies published their plan for post-war Palestine. Jerusalem, Hebron and Bethlehem are clearly part of the Jewish state. The maps of the League of Nations British Mandate at San Remo in 1920 also clearly include Jerusalem, Hebron and Bethlehem as part of the Jewish state. The 77% East of the Jordan became the Pal Kingdom of Jordan, while the 23% on the West Bank of the Jordan was designated to be the Jewish state. [Sir Martin Gilbert, Arab-Israeli Conflict in Maps, 1974]
Bad idea.
remove the ' abomination of desolation standing where it should not stand'. It's become a military HQ's for terrorists. No other country in the world would tolerate such treachery.
As they say, 'you don't have to be Jewish' to pray at the Kotel! Ask Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pres. Obama-- and thousands of other non-Jews of all faiths. We accept Isaiah's vision of 'My House [Jerusalem] shall be called a House of Prayer for ALL peoples'. During the thousand years that a Jewish Temple stood on Zion's height offerings were brought by Roman emperors and there was even a Courtyard for Gentiles who shared in the Service of G-d. In Hebron, at the Tomb of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah Jews and Muslims both prayer -- usually on different days.
You are completely wrong. There was no church on the site on 638 AD as you falsely claim. It was not until the 12th century that the Crusade invaders tried to build a church on the site following their conquest of the city...
So they are in no way required to share it. But it's likely that jews can make some arrangement so they can visit the wailing wall.
I saw it for the first time in 1981. As I walked toward it across the courtyard, I was immediately confronted by two Arab security personnel who told me I could not approach. But that is not the point. Check out the photos of http://tinyurl.com/yz56smw and the relevant text.
As Israel Harel mentions and Joe Field explains, Jews are forbidden to pray on the Temple Mount by the Jewish rabbinical authority. It is nothing to do with what Moshe Dayan decided or Muslim hegemony over the Mount, it is solely to do with the religious issues of purification and doubts about the precise location of the 2nd Temple. There is a small minority of religious and nationalist Jews who dispute the Halachic rulings, believe they are entitled to pray on the Mount and keep creating mega tensions by trying to do so. But unless and until the Halachic authorities change their ruling, which has endured for two millenia, the present status quo on the Temple Mount will remain unchanged. One has to be very careful to prevent the issue being hijacked by the nationalist wing, who espouse for political advantage a populist policy of kicking the Waqf out and taking over the TM. As well as being totally contrary to Jewish religious rulings, it would create only internecine mayhem.
In 1967 when Israel arrived in the city,they found the same rubbish dump on the site,and they were as horrified by what they saw. It is peculiar how Muslims always chose a place sacred for other religions for their own,and then deney it for the other.Like in Istanbul, Spain,Nigeria,Sudan,and Afghanistan.Non of your holy places outside Arabia is yours,they are all stolen after the Islamic imperialism started Every place they occupied they"creat"a sacred place That why you have so many of them,but only the two most sacred are in Arabia,the only"genuine"Muslim sacred places.
Does not change anything. There is that green line, basta!
I assume, from the ignorance of your statement, that you have never been to Jerusalem. Arabs do pray wherever and whenever they wish, as the air rings with the calls to prayer from the minarets five times a day. Muslims are not barred from the Kotel and if they pray there, that is their business. When Jews are allowed on the Temple Mount, they cannot bring prayer books, wear tallits, or even move their lips. Police arrest Jews who they think are praying. I realize that going to Israel might destroy your position of speaking from total ignorance, but it might be worth the trip. British Airways still goes there, I believe.
Well, that must have happened pretty fast in 1967 because it certainly wasn't in disrepair when I first saw it, nor were there weeds all over the place. When did you go?
To be equal in status,or freedom of religion is depend on the numbers.Thank you for making it clear.Now i know why non Muslim have no rights in Muslim nations,they are manorities. You like many Muslims find it necessay to tell us that there is 1.3 billion Muslims,so they should be treated specialy.There is 5 billion non Muslim in the world,what about there rights,what about respecting that fact. BTW,Don't brag to much on numbers it isn't clever,because how many stones in the world?and how many diamonds?.There is a lot of metal around,but not so much gold.
Your knowledge of history is astoundingly warped. In 638 AD, the Temple Mount was the site of the Christian Church of St. Mary of Justinian. See http://tinyurl.com/yz56smw for some education, sir.
Shalom, please click here you will have the full story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK0QNypLMrk&feature=player_embedded
The Muslim interest is Al Aqsa is a rather recent phenomena. See http://tinyurl.com/yz56smw Many photos from the 1930s shows weeds growing all over the courtyard and the mosque itself in disrepair. Hardly used at all. It was only after 1967 that Al Aqsa was transformed for political reasons into the "third holiest site".
#5: this is a tired rehash of the "no historical jewish presence in Jerusalem" line. There is substantial archaeological proof of the 2nd jewish temple on that spot - so live with it! #6: I don't see why not - if access to the non prohibited (by jewish law) parts of temple mount could be arranged then there would be less need for total access to the western wall. On the other hand, don't you think it would be greedy of the muslims to build another mosque there?
such a good example of Jews and Palestinians living together in peace and harmony. Them Hebron Jews really showed the Pals there who's boss right mr. Harel? There's no status quo there, there is very stringent military occupation to protect a couple of hundred extremist rightwingers over the back of thousands of palestinians!
What a ridiculous article ! The Muslims, like Moshe Dayan and the Rabbinate, Shlomo Goren and Ovadia Yosef I believe, knew that Jews had not ascended the Har HaBayis for almost 20 centuries. Rabbi Yosef ruled it was even prohibited for helicopters to fly over the Temple Mount because the sanctity includes the air space above. Rabbi Goren held public prayers, includinhg Hallel, Kaddish and Yizkor for the fallen, at the Kotel, but not actually on the Mount. That Shavuos 200,000 people made a pilgrimage to the Kotel, but did not ascend the Mount. Arabs living near the wall were rehoused in nearby Arab villages and the area was cleared to make a plaza in front of the Kotel for the tens of thousands who came every day. [Israel 50, Schiff and Dor ed. 1997]
Even the anti-Zionist Satmar Jews would find your comment to be ignorant at best. Jews have been praying towards the Temple Mount and going on pilgrimages forever - eons before Herzel. Look up Tisha Be'Av, and you will understand. One more correction - the Waqf only stopped mentioning the connection to Solomon's Temple in the 1920s due to growing Palestinian nationalism.
Every Arab and Muslim and every enemy of Israel tells me a different history so how many years has your Mosque been placed on top the church that was on top of our holiest temple? Lets face it the Arabs in Jerusalem are invaders, squatters and occupiers and your time squatting in our holy city is up.
The major Halachic authorities from the Rambam in Yad Chazaka to the Chofetz Chaim in Mishna Brurah are unanimous in prohibiting Jews from entering the Makom Kodesh on the Temple Mount. While it is true that Halachically one could enter a specific area that was not part of the Temple, there is no clear agreement on the definition of this area -- but even to enter here requires certain purification rites. Some say the Rambam ascended, contrary to his ruling in Mishneh Torah, but others say he means he prayed adjoining the Temple Mount, as we do today at the Kotel. Muslims claim their mosque is built on the Holy of Holies, but others disagree and we are not sure of the exact location because the Romans ploughed over the Mount destroying too much for us to be sure. The measurements of the present Temple Mount are larger than those given in the Mishna. From an Halachic point of view there is today an issur kares on entering the holy area in our present state of impurity.
It's time to undo Dayan's mistake and claim the Temple Mount for Israel and stop this violence caused by Arab mobs every week for forty years.
Jews have no right anywhere in the Mosque Compound which has been exclusively Islamic for 1500 years. Upon his arrival in the city in 638, Caliph Omar found a rubbsih dump on the site and was so horrified by what he saw, he ordered that a mosque should be built on the same spot where Prophet Muhammad had only less than a decade ago completed his Night Journey from Mecca to Beit Al Maqdes (Jerusalem). From that date until the 1920's, no one has ever spoke of a temple or the site being a Jewish holy place. It was not until after the British Mandate of Palestine in 1918 that Jews started demanding access to the Western Wall of the Mosque compound, therefore any alleged Jewish connection with the site is highly dubious and can only be considered as politically motivated and had nothing to do with religion.
After all it's the mount essentially that is sacred to Muslims, for the same reason that it's sacred to Jews, because Islam ultimately is sprung from Judaism. So if Israel wants the Muslims to share the top of the mount, presumably he and the Jewish religious authorities would have no problem with Muslims unrolling their prayer mats at the Kotel. Perhaps a small mosque could be built, with occasional calls to prayer?
This place has been an exclusive Muslim sanctuary for over 1400 years. It is an integral part of the Muslim faith. Now, suggeting that Muslims should allow Jews to arrogate part of this place means one thing: blood and fire and endless wars and tribulations and turnbulence for many many years to come.
The first and second intifada reveals that no one ever grow accustom to occupation. Israel is continuing to occupy and steal Palestinian land and is now attempting to take their religious rights away from them as well. If the shoe was on the other foot, I am sure Mr Harel would one of the first to demand that Jews don't give up their rights or given an inch to the oppressor or occupier.
' it is essential to equalize Jews' status on the Temple Mount with that of Muslims' There are 1,250,000,000 Muslims in the world, and perhaps 15,000,000 Jews. Offhand, it seems to me like the Jewish share of the Temple Mount should come to slightly over 1%. How much of the space does the Wailing Wall comprise? In any case, and more substantially, this proposal is essentially a provocation of the kind that Israel endlessly invents in order to perpetuate the conflict, since for several excellent reasons, any prolonged outbreak of peace would destroy Israel as a nation.
THEY decide where infidels may set foot!
Lots of words, but not one about what has been going on in Ras Al-Amoud and Silwan to name but two of the places in our United Holy City where ElAd, not the State of Israel we imagine we are citizens of, rules. Take a look down there and then come back and report.