generalspeaking

Holy Sites in the Holy Land

Israel creating yet more grievances between itself and the Arab populations surrounding it, in particular the Palestinians for whom any Israeli-defined initiatives are anathema, as they struggle themselves to find their place called Palestine. In their angry numbers Palestinians are again clashing with Israeli troops, this time in the West Bank town of Hebron, outraged over Israel's plans to restore several Jewish holy sites.

Palestinian youths do as they do best and most enthusiastically given the opportunity and the opportunities can always be found, burning tires, hurling rocks at Israeli military and their checkpoints. While Israeli troops respond with tear gas and stun grenades, both adversaries anxious to consolidate their friendly relations with one another. For this is the Middle East and conciliation takes an entirely other course in this place.

Damning Israel has become the number one sport in the Palestinian Territories, and the PA's chief (peace) negotiator is happy to add to the general damnation of deserving Israel: "This Israeli decision is provocative for Muslims around the world and especially Palestinians", he gravely pronounced. There goes Israel again, with some dastardly plan of action to further diminish the rights and entitlements of Palestinians.

As for the Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip they too are anxious not to miss out on any opportunities to lash out against Israel with their Tourism Minister insisting that Palestinians must make their way to the sites where these insults to Islam and the Palestinians are set to take place, to "defend" them. Not just Palestinians who live in the territories, but Israeli Palestinians as well - to the ramparts!

Not to be outdone, Egypt and Jordan, Israel's great good peace-abiding friends have joined the melee of denunciation. "The decision is illegal"; thus spake Hossam Zaki, foreign ministry spokesman. "This new Israeli position will only feed extremism, confrontations and violence, and it does not serve U.S. efforts to revive peace." For Israel seeking to protect its own affronts the extremists, feeding confrontations and violence....

The issue at hand? Why, plans to restore several Jewish holy sites; the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron where Abraham is said to have been buried; a biblical figure of great historical moment whom Muslims as well as Jews recognize and consider the father of their nations. Mind, there are Jewish settlers near the site who have converted a portion of a mosque erected nearby into a synagogue.

Which is, in and of itself an outrageous provocation; a latter-day desecration, somewhat like the al-Aksa mosque's position over the Temple of Solomon, the ancient Beit HaMikdash. One desecration certainly not excusing the other. And the tomb of the Jewish matriarch Rachel in Bethlehem too located in an Israeli enclave nearby Bethlehem. Both sites establishing Israel's ancient heritage in the region.

Now, of course, considered to be Palestinian territory. And do the Palestinians take heed of the especial status of other religions' sacred places and hold them in respected trust thereby?
Not really, it's common enough that Palestinians in their rage against their unjust destiny seek to desecrate, destroy, and vandalize sacred Jewish objects, cemeteries, Psalm books, ancient revered sites such as the Tomb of Ruth and Jesse.

Whereas Jews are informed that any reciprocity; damaging mosques for example in retaliation, risks ostracism. Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar said, "What right do Jews have to hurt the places of worship of other faiths? It is a good thing that the peoples of the world pray to God". Where is the counterpart occurrence, with Islamic clerics chastising Muslims for destroying Jewish sacred objects?

Muslim contempt for the holy sites and objects of veneration of other faiths are well enough known, the blasting of two world-heritage-designated giant Bamiyan Buddha figures by the Taliban in Afghanistan, 3rd and 5th Century AD statues reverenced by Buddhists is only the best-known of these events. Yet here is Jordan's King Abdullah convincing the Archbishop of Canterbury that Israel plans to evict Muslims and Christians from eastern Jerusalem.

The historical facts being that when Jordan had control of east Jerusalem Jews were forbidden access to their holy sites and Christians did not enjoy the free access they now have under Israeli stewardship. Jordan, vowed the king, is prepared to protect non-Jewish holy sites in the PA area; where it had closed them all before Israel's triumphal accession in 1967.
To sweeten the alliance, Jordan has offered the Anglican Church a plot of land in the Jordan Valley.

Where previously Christian sites were off limits under Jordan's rule. And in direct contravention to claims otherwise, Christians in Jerusalem during Jordanian rule dwindled in number until Israel re-opened Christianity's holy sites. Jordan denied access to the Mount of Olives cemetery, opening construction of a road to transverse the cemetery, destroying hundreds of Jewish graves.

Whose headstones were then used as paving stones.

Labels: Israel, Middle East, Traditions, Troublespots

posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, February 23, 2010