Cordoba is So Relevant for Jerusalem

Have you heard of The Tribunal de les Aigües de la Vega de Valéncia?

No?

I wasn't quite aware of it either.  As I learned, it

was most likely established during Roman times, but assumed its current form when the Caliphate of Cordoba reigned over the Iberian peninsula more than a millennium ago...Modeled on tribal councils, the court was tasked with resolving water disputes among farmers and maintaining peace in the community...During the Caliphate [i.e., the Muslim 8th century conquest and occupation of Spain - YM], water disagreements were resolved inside the main mosque, but with the arrival of Christian rule the mosque was destroyed and a cathedral erected in its place. For Muslims, who still made up the majority of the farming community, entering the cathedral was prohibited. To accommodate all claimants, the tribunal migrated to just outside the door.

Cordoba, as I have previously blogged, had a church,

a Catholic church built by the Visigoths...When Muslims conquered Spain in 711, the church was first divided into Muslim and Christian halves. This sharing arrangement of the site lasted until 784, when the Christian half was purchased by the Emir 'Abd al-Rahman I, who then proceeded to demolish the entire structure and build the grand mosque of Cordoba on its ground. After the Reconquista [aka, the liberation of the Spanish homeland - YM], it was converted to a Roman Catholic church, culminating in the insertion of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the 16th century. Since the early 2000s, Spanish Muslims have lobbied the Roman Catholic Church to allow them to pray in the cathedral. This Muslim campaign has been rejected on multiple occasions, both by the church authorities in Spain and by the Vatican.

But that Muslim campaign, oddly enough, sounds very much like what the Jews would wish to achieve on the Temple Mount.

And in April 2010, there was an "incident": 

two Muslim tourists were arrested at the Cathedral, after an incident in which two security guards were seriously injured. The incident occurred when the building was filled with tourists visiting the cathedral during Holy Week.

According to cathedral authorities, when half a dozen Austrian Muslims, who were part of a group of 118 people on an organized tour for young European Muslims, knelt to pray at the same time, security guards stepped in and "invited them to continue with their tour or leave the building". A fight took place between two of the tourists and the security guards. The security guards suffered serious injuries and had to be hospitalized and two Muslim men were detained.

Reflecting on this clash, someone said:

it was important to counter the theory of clash of civilizations, which he said was fueled by the extreme wings on all sides. He called on participants to find ways to ensure that "the spirit of tolerance"...reaches all levels of society.

"Our dialogue, our spirit of tolerance has not trickled down yet to the street, to the communities, to the clubs, to the little guy on the street anywhere in the Muslim or Christian world," he said.

"We will have to find ways and means in order for this spirit...to be felt among the masses: that we have to live together, that Islam and Christianity and all other religions, including Judaism, all of them worship God and there are no reasons for confrontation, but reasons for mutual respect and tolerance."

Who was the speaker?  Amr Moussa, the Secretary General of the Arab League.

Well, well.

Mansur Escudero, a Spanish convert to Islam, is leading the movement that is pushing for the right of Muslims to pray at the Cordoba Cathedral. He has said

"I don't think it's important for Muslims. I think it's important for humankind," Escudero says. "We think this is a beautiful paradigm of tolerance, knowledge, culture. People of different religions living together."...

and Escudero continued:

this is not about winning a victory for one religion or the other.  He said: "They pretend that we are trying to conquer the mosque again. That's not the intention at all. We want it to be a place where anyone -- whether Muslim, Christian or Jew -- can do his meditation or his internal way of worshipping, or praying or whatever he wants to call it."

In another report, Escudero declared

this is not about winning a victory for one religion or the other.  He said: "They pretend that we are trying to conquer the mosque again. That's not the intention at all. We want it to be a place where anyone -- whether Muslim, Christian or Jew -- can do his meditation or his internal way of worshipping, or praying or whatever he wants to call it."

Some seek to portray this as if 

the building evokes a supposedly harmonious past, when Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived together in peace, an idea that the Spanish refer to as convivencia, or “coexistence.”

If the above is true and a genuine ex‎pression of Islamic "tolerance", why not apply it to Jerusalem's Temple Mount?  By the way, the new mayor of Córdoba, Isabel Ambrosio, has vowed to return the title of the mosque-cathedral to the public domain. The battle over cross, crescent and conservation rages on.

If the Muslims demand a right to pray at a location of a former Mosque, built where a Church was, why are they so adamant that Jews, whose Temple area was occupied by Muslims, who built a Mosque on it, but these Jews now want the right to pray there?

Are not we Jews doing the same thing the Muslims are?

Our rights are less than what they demand for themselves?

What is good for a Muslim in Spain and in Turkey, is surely good for Jews in Jerusalem.

After all, our two Temples were on the Mount first.

____________________


UPDATE

A new proposal to establish that the Western Wall is part of al-Aqsa Mosque is set to be submitted by the Palestinians to a vote at UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) next week, Ynet learned Thursday.

UPDATE

Israel says it objects to any international presence on Temple Mount

^

What The Pope Heard on the Temple Mount

A translation from the Arabic of the words spoken to the Pope at his reception by Muslims during his visit to the Temple Mount on May 26, 2014.

The first speaker is Sheikh Abdul Azim Salhab, president of the Council of the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem and the second is the Mufti of Jerusalem and preacher of the Al Aqsa Mosque, Mohammed Hussein.

the Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, left, and 

at right, Abdul Azeem Salhab, Head of the Waqef supreme court

Credit: AP

Welcome to the gates of Jerusalem, City of Peace...a peace which has been removed by the Israeli occupation.

...Our goal is to fight the Israeli occupation of oppression, and we must do to be removed from our land. It is the occupation that wants to wipe our presence - both Muslims, both Christians - and obscure the identity through the severe oppressive measures of cutting off Jerusalem from its Palestinian attempt to Judaize it and hurt its people , and to take control of the holy places contrary to all divine laws and international conventions...the preventing the arrival of believers at places of worship is a violation of freedom of worship and the fight against faith.

There are ferocious attack against the holy places...and attempts to change the status-quo which are dangerous and constitute aggression against the Muslim nation...also a violation of the Hashemite Kingdom under the auspices of the holy places in Jerusalem. This can trigger a religious war in the region and the world. Israeli government bear those consequences of this policy.

Hence we turn to Your Excellency - saw your call for peace - will work to stop the attacks and acts of oppression those that harm the residents of Jerusalem, Muslims, and Christians. We urge you to prevent damage to holy places and to stem the attacks on the al - Aqsa Mosque.

and Muhammad Hussein

...This blessed mosque and all contained therein are subjected to aggression and invasions of extremist settlers, under the auspices of the Israeli occupation authorities, who seek to Judaize the mosque and share - both in terms of time [ = at certain hours of the day] in terms of the areas [ = at certain specified places].

..We want freedom and an end to the occupation, and that the Palestinian people will fill their legitimate rights , self-determination and an independent state with its capital in Jerusalem...

(thanks to YE)


Besides everything else, note the lack of Jews in their words.

Jews have no rights, history or future in Jerusalem.

From a news report:

Pope Francis was given a tour of the Asqa compound by Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, who gave Francis a letter speaking about the suffering of the Palestinians and the mistreatment of holy sites in Jerusalem.

Sheikh Hussein also talked about the destructive effects of Israel's separation wall on the Palestinians, concluding by calling for an end to the occupation and peace and security for all....

"May we work together for justice and peace," Francis said after being shown around the Al-Aqsa compound, which is also considered sacred by Jews because it was the site where their two famed Jerusalem temples once stood...

P.S.

This is a headline in the Pal. media:

'Thousands' of Israeli Jews to march on Aqsa compound

That, of course, was not true as they simply marched to the Kotel/Western Wall.

Oh, sorry.  Al-Buraq belongs to Al-Aqsa.


P.P.S.

And what did the Pope say?

“We are experiencing a fraternal dialogue and exchange which are able to restore us and offer us new strength to confront the common challenges before us,” the Pope told Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem on May 26...The Pontiff took the opportunity to reflect on the figure of Abraham, “who lived as a pilgrim in these lands,” and serves as an important figure to the three major religions.

“Muslims, Christians and Jews see in him, albeit in different ways, a father in faith and a great example to be imitated. He became a pilgrim, leaving his own people and his own house in order to embark on that spiritual adventure to which God called him,” he said...Pope Francis noted that Abraham’s attitude should be an example for every person.

...Pope Francis stressed, “Dear friends, from this holy place I make a heartfelt plea to all people and to all communities who look to Abraham: may we respect and love one another as brothers and sisters!”  “May we learn to understand the sufferings of others! May no one abuse the name of God through violence! May we work together for justice and peace!”

^ 

Haaretz Suggests Jews Convert to Christianity

Haaretz editorial comes out for freedom of worship, of altering the status quo at a holy site, of protesting violence and hate crimes based on religious motivation, and of doing so because the members of that religion are not temporary visitors but part of the city of Jerusalem, its history and its present, and not to transfer ownership, granting sovereignty or even of rights to administer the site.

No, not at the Temple Mount.

King David's Tomb at Mount Zion and for the Christians.

Allow freedom of worship

Excerpts:

...Right-wing activists, ultra-Orthodox elements, settler extremists and political activists have been running a callous campaign recently against the pope and any closer ties between Israel and the Vatican.  Their main claim is that, during the pope’s visit, the government plans to sign an agreement that would alter the status quo at the King David’s Tomb complex on Mount Zion in Jerusalem [where]...the Catholic Church has asked for more access to the Room of the Last Supper...for ritual purposes...the issue of changing the situation was discussed to allow Christians a few more days’ prayer at the site every year. Yet, as opposed to the claims, no one ever spoke of transferring ownership, granting sovereignty or even of rights to manage the site.

...“price tag” events...from slashed tires and spray-painted slogans to smashed graves and even spitting attacks [have occured]...

The Christians in Jerusalem are not temporary visitors – they are part of the city, its history and its present. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu takes great pride in discussing the freedom of worship that exists in Jerusalem under Israeli rule. It would, therefore, be a good thing for the government to reach an agreement in which it allows true freedom of worship also for the Christians on Mount Zion. An agreement that allows prayers in the Room of the Last Supper will bring great diplomatic benefit, enabling Israel to prove with its deeds, not just words, that it allows true freedom of worship...Such an agreement would send a strong message to extremist elements – that there is enough room in Jerusalem and David’s Tomb for everyone. Simultaneously, the police must take the threats on Mount Zion seriously and successfully conclude investigations into the acts that have taken place there over the past year.

It seems that Haaretz is suggesting that Jews need to convert to Christianity to obtain equal rights of access and freedom of worship.

Or is this normative leftist radical progressive hypocrisy?

^ 

Bayah - Bye-Bye

In previous postings relating to the new agreement signed between the Palestinian Authority and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan regarding the patronage of the King over the Holy Sites in Jerusalem, I was a bit puzzled by this paragraph:

D. Recalling the role of King Al Sharif Hussein Bin Ali in protecting, and taking care of the holy sites in Jerusalem and in the restoration of the holy sites since 1924; recalling the uninterrupted continuity of this role by His Majesty King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, who is a descendant of Al Sharif Hussein Bin Ali; recalling that the Bay’ah (oath of allegiance) according to which Al Sharif Hussein Bin Ali held the custodianship of the Jerusalem holy sites, which custodianship was affirmed to Al Sharif Hussein Bin Ali by the people of Jerusalem and Palestine on March 11, 1924; and recalling that the Custodianship of the holy sites of Jerusalem has devolved to His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein;

and specifically this:

which custodianship was affirmed to Al Sharif Hussein Bin Ali by the people of Jerusalem and Palestine on March 11, 1924

I see now that Professor Ruth Lapidot has published an article on this agreement in the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, VIII:3 (2013) and she references on this point a book(let) The Keys to Jerusalem published in 2010 in Jordan by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.

The Oath:

The Jordanian interpretation:

Whether or not the Holy Sites were included in the 'disengagement decision of 1988, - which only related to Jordan and the PLO, as the Palestinian Authority did not exist then, and therefore, that is a different legal consideration, - the 1994 Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty contains this:

ARTICLE 9
PLACES OF HISTORICAL AND RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE

1. Each party will provide freedom of access to places of religious and historical significance.
2. In this regard, in accordance with the Washington Declaration, Israel respects the present special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Muslim Holy shrines in Jerusalem. When negotiations on the permanent status will take place, Israel will give high priority to the Jordanian historic role in these shrines.
3. The Parties will act together to promote interfaith relations among the three monotheistic religions, with the aim of working towards religious understanding, moral commitment, freedom of religious worship, and tolerance and peace.

The Holy Sites are very much included, as "Muslim Holy shrines", but exactly what are they and where and what about Jewish shrines, especially the Temple Mount, which shares much, but not all, of the area the Haram courtyards do, are unclear issues. Is Jordan violating the treaty?

Does not Israel also have a responsibility to assure access and worship there?

Does that Bayah hold, also given that the so-called Caliphate lasted from that March to ... October.  Is that a sufficient time to grant any sort of continuity?  

What happened in October?

As noted:

A last attempt at restoring the caliphal office and style with ecumenical recognition was made by al-Husayn ibn `Ali al-Hashimi, King of Hejaz and Sharif of Mecca, who assumed both on 11 March 1924 and held them until 3 October 1924, when he passed the kingship to his son `Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Hashimi, who did not adopt the caliphal office and style.

So, the Caliphate ended.  No more patronage of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem?  Is this Bayah a mere ploy?


Another Arab point of view on the matter is expressed so:

For Jordan, the dilemma is in maintaining a balance between its historic obligations towards Jerusalem and the 1994 peace treaty with Israel. In fact, it is more of a test of endurance.  In April this year, Jordan and Palestine signed an agreement under which the Palestinian side “reaffirmed” the status of King Abdullah as the custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Aside from the consideration of “who is stronger than who,” Jordan is definitely unwilling to terminate the Wadi Araba Peace Treaty with Israel and at the same can not remain silent on Israel’s assaults on al-Aqsa Mosque and its violations of the 1994 agreement in which the kingdom is stipulated as the official custodian of Jerusalem’s holy sites. It is such a big diplomatic challenge.

Wait, has the treaty "stipulated [Jordan] as the official custodian of Jerusalem’s holy sites"?

Of course not.  Just a "special role".  Perhaps as an observer, or a supervisor of engineering works, or as a payer of the Waqf employees salaries. But not sovereignty.  And not the term "custodian".

This view takes an opposing stand:

...The Treaty suggests that Arab rage and Israel Police restrictions are contrary to the spirit—if not the exact language—of an International Peace Agreement....All restrictions against Jews on the Temple Mount are contrary to the terms of a signed Peace Agreement. Discrimination of Jews at Jerusalem Holy Sites is a Treaty violation.

Article 9 also suggests that Arab riots over the Temple Mount could be illegal. Certainly, lawyers will have to decide if a signed international Treaty establishes enforceable law. They will have to determine if a violation of the terms of such an Agreement should be called ‘illegal.’But until then, Arab rage should be condemned by all.

Jordan is an interested party.  But its rights, and demands, are limited.

And if it can't even protect its own officials at the site accompanying a Fatah person, as happened recently, why should Israel respect it?

And if it does not assist Israel in assuring the freedom of religious worship (in 2009 the country joined radical Islamist Sheikh Raas Salah to denounce Israel's protection of freedom of access to the Temple Mount!) and does not promote interfaith relations, well then Jordan is out of the picture.

Does this fit with the peace treaty -
 

State Minister for Media Affairs, Mohammad al-Momani, renewed Jordan's warning that repeated Israeli attacks and unilateral measures on Muslim and Christian holy shrines as well as settlement policies threaten to undermine the peace process.

The minister, who is also government spokesman, stressed that Israel's practices against holy places are rejected and condemned and run contrary to international conventions and treaties, saying Israel should stop its ongoing violations of the holy city.

He warned that Israeli occupation authorities insistence to allow Jewish extremists to break into the Al-Aqsa Mosque is inflaming Muslim passions and could touch off religious conflict.

And that Bayah?  From 1924?

Bye - bye.

^

When Hillary Clinton and I Religiously Agree

We agree on her thoughts, spoken upon the release of the new Religious Freedom Report:

Religious freedom is not just about religion. It’s not just about the right of Roman Catholics to organize a mass, or Muslims to hold a religious funeral, or Baha’is to meet in each others’ homes for prayer, or Jews to celebrate High Holy Days together – as important as those rituals are. Religious freedom is also about the right of people to think what they want, say what they think, and come together in fellowship without the state looking over their shoulder.

That’s why the free exercise of religion is the first freedom enshrined in our First Amendment, along with the freedoms to speak and associate. Because where religious freedom exists, so do the others. It’s also why the Universal Declaration of Human Rights protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion – all three together – because they all speak to the same capacity within each and every human being to follow our conscience, to make moral choices for ourselves, our families, our communities.

So why can't I enter the Temple Mount without overt restriction?  Cannot pray anywhere therein, as unobtrusively as possible?  Cannot read a Psalter or from Lamentations?  Cannot dig there to excavate archaeological finds from my people's history at the site from two or more millenia ago?

Why is my religion secondary?

From the Report:

The 1967 Protection of Holy Sites Law safeguards the holy sites of all religious groups, including in Jerusalem. All holy sites enjoy certain protections under the penal law, which makes it a criminal offense to damage any holy site, while historic sites are protected by the antiquities law...A government policy since 1967, repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court and routinely enforced by the police citing security concerns, denies all non-Muslims opportunities to worship at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. While the government ensured limited access to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif to everyone regardless of religious beliefs, only Muslims are allowed to pray at the site, although their access has been occasionally restricted due to security concerns. Police regulated traffic in and out of the compound and removed non-Muslim visitors if they appeared to be praying. Since 2000 the Jordanian Waqf that manages the site has restricted non-Muslims from entering the Dome of the Rock shrine and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Non-Muslim religious symbols are not allowed to be worn on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.

Government authorities prohibit mixed-gender prayer services at Jewish religious sites maintained by the Chief Rabbinate in deference to the belief of most Orthodox Jews that such services violate the precepts of Judaism. At the Western Wall, men and women must use separate areas to visit and pray. According to a policy repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court, women are not allowed to conduct prayers at the Western Wall while wearing prayer shawls and are not permitted to read from Torah scrolls because this form of prayer by women violates Orthodox interpretations of Jewish law. There is a separate prayer area along the Western Wall, south of the Mughrabi Gate where women may read the Torah and pray wearing prayer shawls.

The signs posted around the Western Wall plaza requesting gender segregation throughout the plaza, rather than just at the prayer areas, were removed in 2010. Official “modesty patrols” occasionally attempted to enforce gender separation and guarded the path designated for “men only” that was installed in 2009 opposite the Western Wall. According to the government-appointed Rabbi of the Western Wall, the path was created for those who asked to be able to get to the Western Wall plaza without having to walk through a mixed-gender area.

P.S.  Here is how she kowtows to the Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt:

Now meanwhile, Egypt is grappling with these challenges as it navigates its unprecedented democratic transition. And during my recent visit, I met with members of the new government, including President Morsi, and representatives from Egypt’s Christian communities. Religious freedom was very present behind closed doors and out in the streets. President Morsi has said clearly and repeatedly, in public and private, that he intends to be the president of all the Egyptian people. He has pledged to appoint an inclusive government and put women and Christians in high leadership positions. The Egyptian people and the international community are looking to him to follow through on those commitments.

But I heard from Christians who want to know that they will be accorded the same rights and respect as all Egyptians in a new government led by an Islamist party. They wonder, understandably, will a government looking explicitly to greater reliance on Islamic principles stand up for non-Muslims and Muslims equally? Since this is the first time that Egypt has ever been in this situation, it’s a fair question. Egyptians are building a brand new democracy. What it will look like, how it will work, how it will handle religious pluralism – Egyptians will be writing the answers to those and many other questions for years to come.

As I told the Christians with whom I met, the United States does not take the side of one political party over another. What we do is stand firmly on the side of principles. Yes, we do support democracy – real democracy, where every citizen has the right to live, work, and worship how they choose, whether they be Muslim or Christian or from any other background; where no group or faction can impose their authority or their ideology or their religion on anyone else; where there is healthy competition, and what we call checks and balances, so no one institution or leader gets too powerful and the rights of all citizens are respected and protected.

The Egyptian people will look to their elected leaders to protect the rights of all citizens and to govern in a fair and inclusive manner, and so will we. And if voters make different choices in future elections, then they and we will expect their leaders to respond to the will of the people and give up power. We are prepared to work with the leaders that the Egyptian people choose. But our engagement with those leaders will be based on their commitment to universal human rights and universal democratic principles.

Another important aspect of Egypt’s transition is whether citizens themselves respect each other’s differences. Now we saw that capacity vividly in Tahrir Square, when Christians formed a circle around Muslims in prayer, and Muslims clasped hands to protect Christians celebrating a mass. I think that spirit of unity and fellowship was a very moving part of how Egyptians and all the rest of us responded to what happened in those days in that square. And if, in the years ahead, if Egyptians continue to protect that precious recognition of what every single Egyptian can contribute to the future of their country, where people of different faiths will be standing together in fellowship, then they can bring hope and healing to many communities in Egypt who need that message.

^

Muslim Fanaticism & Intolerance - 1919

Already in August 1919, significant sections of the diplomatic world were aware of the intolerant and fanatic possessive exclusiveness of the Islamic religious authorities, the same attitude which makes any coeistence on the Temple Mount acheivable.  It's not the fault of the Jews.

From the King-Crane Commission report:-

There is a further consideration that cannot justly be ignored, if the world is to look forward to Palestine becoming a definitely-Jewish State, however gradually that may take place. That consideration grows out the fact that Palestine is the Holy Land for Jews, Christians, and Moslems alike. Millions of Christians and Moslems all over the world are quite as much concerned as the Jews with conditions in Palestine, especially with those conditions which touch upon religious feeling and rights. The relations in these matters in Palestine are most delicate and difficult. With the best possible intentions, it may be doubted whether the Jews could possibly seem to either Christians or Moslems proper guardians of the holy places, or custodians of the Holy Land as a whole.

The reason is this: The places which are most sacred to Christians those having to do with Jesus-and which are also sacred to Moslems, are not only not sacred to Jews, but abhorrent to them. It is simply impossible, under those circumstances, for Moslems and Christians to feel satisfied to have these places in Jewish hands, or under the custody of Jews. There are still other places about which Moslems must have the same feeling. In fact, from this point of view, the Moslems, just because the sacred places of all three religions are, sacred to them, have made very naturally much more satisfactory custodians of the holy places than the Jews could be.

It must be believed that the precise meaning in this respect of the complete Jewish occupation of Palestine has not been fully sensed by those who urge the extreme Zionist programme. For it would intensify, with a certainty like fate; the anti-Jewish feeling both in Palestine and in all other portions of the world which look to Palestine as the Holy Land.

In view of all these considerations, and with a deep sense of sympathy for the Jewish cause, the Commissioners feel bound to recommend that only a greatly reduced Zionist programme be attempted by the Peace Conference, and even that, only very gradually initiated. This would have to mean that Jewish immigration should be definitely limited, and that the project for making Palestine distinctly a Jewish commonwealth should be given up.

In other words, American democratic and cultural values go out the window since Jewish religious feelings and rights can be trampled on.

^ 

If He Can Freely Visit, Why Not I?

Even when Israel provides full religious freedom, there are fanatical enemies of ours who don't appreciate it:

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood on Thursday denounced a rare visit to Jerusalem by the nation's top Islamic theologian that broke with decades of opposition to traveling to areas under Israeli control.  Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa replied that his two-hour visit on Wednesday was a show of solidarity with the Palestinians' claim to Israeli-held east Jerusalem.

The short trip countered a long-standing unofficial view that there should be no contacts with Israel until an Arab-Israeli peace settlement is reached...The boycott is not state-sanctioned, but it has been endorsed by a wide range of Muslims, including the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood, more radical groups and institutes whose heads are appointed by the state.

The travel ban also has the backing of professional unions, universities and private associations. In the past, some who have defied the ban have been ostracized... a body of senior clerics at Cairo's Al-Azhar...repeated their rejection of visits to Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa while under Israel's control but stopped short of reprimanding the mufti, who prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site.

Another visitor - and yet another and another:

The cousin of Jordan's King Abdullah, Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, arrived on Wednesday for a visit at Temple Mount in Jerusalem...Two weeks ago, the Hashemite king's son, Prince Hashim Bin al-Hussein arrived on a secret visit to Jerusalem, during which he prayed at al-Aqsa mosque. The visit was not coordinated with the Defense Ministry, which permits the entry of Jordanian citizens into Israel. Ministry officials stated that Jordan's interior minister also paid a visit to Israel.

Maybe Israel will yet extend freedom, full freedom to Jews to respect and honor our sacred and holy site, the Temple Mount, in a proper way.


P.S.  See EOZ's take.

And see this from Benny Morris' rebutal of Daniel Levy on Arafat:

...in 2000 he told President Clinton at Camp David that there had never been a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City—effectively rejecting the legitimacy of Jewish claims to Jerusalem and, by extension, to the Land of Israel/Palestine in toto. Palestinian spokesmen, despite fourteen hundred years of Muslim tradition, continue to deny the e existence of the Temple and, in effect, the Jewish heritage of the Land of Israel/Palestine. No rightful claim means that Zionism/Israel is illegitimate.

That's why Jewish rights to - and on - the Temple Mount are important.



^

The State Department Needs to Update Its Report

This paragraph on page 12 for the US State Department's Report on Religious Freedom needs revision:

On October 12, 2010, an arsonist set two fires at Tel Aviv-Yafo's historic Al Hambra Theater, which had been bought by the Church of Scientology in 2007 and largely renovated for future use. Nine workers escaped unharmed from the building. Scientologists complained about incitement by The Israeli Center for Victims of Cults, which had previously suggested the building be burned and whose predominantly religiously based objection filed with the municipality was forestalling the Scientologists from acquiring the final permit needed from the city to fully renovate the building for use.

The acts in question were due, it seems, to criminal behavior by the lawyer for the Church.

Read:

A Tel Aviv lawyer is the prime suspect in at least two attempted murders and an arson that were allegedly carried out by a Jaffa gang he controlled.  Gur Finkelstein was arrested several weeks ago, but details of the investigation were released for publication only yesterday...
Finkelstein is also alleged to have commissioned a hit against Tel Aviv building inspector Shoter Hovel, after the latter had stopped work on construction for the Scientology sect that Finkelstein represented.

Finkelstein also allegedly ordered the torching of the same Scientology building in an effort to generate new construction work, from which he was getting commissions from the building subcontractors he employed.

^

The US International Religious Freedom Report 2010

From Israel and the Occupied Territories
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
International Religious Freedom Report 2010
November 17, 2010

This is the level of serious research:

Some Jewish groups during the reporting period called for the destruction of the Islamic Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque to enable the rebuilding of a third Jewish Temple. In April 2010 a group called Eretz Israel Shelanu sponsored a series of advertisements on 200 Jerusalem city buses illustrating a reconstructed Jewish Temple over the Dome of the Rock; the advertisements were removed by the franchiser after the buses, which were mostly assigned to routes in East Jerusalem, provoked criticism and threats toward the bus company.

compared to this:

Hamas efforts to bolster the conservative Islamic nature of Gaza disturbed some Gazan Christians, and they raised concerns that Hamas failed to defend their rights as religious minorities.

"Failed to defend their rights"?

They murder Christians in Gaza. At least in 2007 they did.

And this:

Hamas largely tolerated the small Christian presence in Gaza and did not force them to abide by Islamic law, although Christians were indirectly affected by Hamas's religious ideology. Hamas did not sufficiently investigate or prosecute religiously driven crimes committed by Muslim extremist vigilante groups in Gaza.

But they got this right:

Hamas leadership also played a role in inciting violence on the Haram al Sharif/Temple Mount in September, February, and March, and Hamas sympathizers joined activists from Israel’s Islamic Movement Northern Branch to throw stones down onto Jewish worshipers at the Western Wall from the courtyard of the Al Aqsa Mosque following prayers.

P.S. The rest of the Temple Mount theme there:

The government of Israel, as a matter of stated policy, opposes non-Muslim worship at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount since 1967. Israeli police generally did not permit public prayer by non-Muslims and publicly indicated that this policy remained operative even though non-Muslims visited the compound. Israeli police regulated traffic in and out of the compound and screened non-Muslims for religious paraphernalia. However, in several instances during the reporting period, Israeli police reportedly facilitated the entrance of Jewish groups who attempted to perform religious services at the site.

The government of Israel during the reporting period severely restricted access for Muslims in the Occupied Territories to the Haram al-Sharif and occasionally restricted access for Muslims resident in Jerusalem. While West Bank Muslims with permits to enter Jerusalem were generally able to visit the site, and in isolated cases permits were issued for Muslims to enter Jerusalem for religious purposes, Israel's permitting regime generally restricted most West Bank Muslims from accessing the Haram al-Sharif; Muslims from Gaza were provided no opportunity by the government of Israel to access the site. Israeli security authorities in Jerusalem frequently restricted access to Friday prayers at the Haram al-Sharif for residents in East Jerusalem. Citing security concerns, authorities also frequently barred entry to male residents under the age of 50, and sometimes barred women under the age of 45. Infrequently, the Haram al-Sharif would be closed entirely, often after skirmishes at the compound between Arab youth and Israeli police. Israeli authorities in some instances barred specific individuals from the compound, including high-ranking Palestinian officials and Jerusalem Islamic Waqf employees. Waqf officials claim the Israeli security regime has reduced average attendance at Friday prayers from 45,000 prior to the Second Intifada to no more than 30,000 presently.

Waqf officials complained that Israeli police increasingly violate agreements regarding control of access to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount site. Israeli police have de facto control of the compound by stationing police outside each entrance to the site and conducting routine patrols on the compound. Israeli police have exclusive control of the Mughrabi Gate entrance to the compound and in general allow non-Muslim visitors to enter the compound through the gate during set visiting hours. Waqf employees are stationed inside each gate and on the compound, and they may object to the presence of particular persons, such as individuals dressed immodestly or causing disturbances, but they lack effective authority to remove persons from the site.

Israeli authorities and Jerusalem Islamic Waqf officials generally prohibited non-Muslim worship at the Haram al-Sharif. The Israeli High Court ruled in 1997 that "Jews, even though their right to the Temple Mount exists and stands historically, are not permitted to currently actualize their right to perform public prayer on the Temple Mount." Although Orthodox Jewish teaching discourages Jewish visits to the compound, some Jewish organizations have challenged these restrictions. During the reporting period, several Jewish groups visited the compound, escorted by Israeli police, and performed religious acts such as prayers and prostration. Waqf officials condemned the visits, and in some instances, the visits initiated violence between Arab youth and Israeli police. Christians were also prohibited from performing public prayers at the site.

There were also disputes between the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf and Israeli authorities over Israeli restrictions on Waqf attempts to carry out maintenance and physical improvements to the compound and its mosques. Israeli officials said the Waqf is required to coordinate all changes to the compound with the Israeli government; Waqf officials generally refuse to coordinate maintenance and upkeep because they say it violates the status quo. The approval process for a permanent ramp leading to the Mughrabi Gate of the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount continued during the reporting period; however, excavations in the immediate vicinity of the Mughrabi Gate did not proceed.

^

How Far Is Jerusalem and Bethlehem from Cordoba?

I have pointed out several times the link that exists between the Temple Mount situation and other sites, notably the Adyohda Temple/Mosque. Cordoba, too.

Recently, UNESCO decided to create a mosque where there never was one, in Rachel's Tomb.

And now, it's headlines in Cordoba:

Name Debate Echoes an Old Clash of Faiths

The great mosque of Córdoba was begun by the Muslim caliphs in the eighth century, its forest of pillars and red-and-white striped arches meant to convey a powerful sense of the infinite. With the Christian reconquest of Spain in the 13th century, it was consecrated as a cathedral.

Today, signs throughout this whitewashed Andalusian city refer to the monument, a Unesco World Heritage site, as the “mosque-cathedral” of Córdoba. But that terminology is now in question. Last month, the bishop of Córdoba began a provocative appeal for the city to stop referring to the monument as a mosque so as not to “confuse” visitors.

...[it's] a tussle over the legacy of “Al Andalus,” when part of Spain, under the Muslim caliphs, was a place of complex coexistence among Muslims, Christians and Jews.

The debate takes on greater weight ahead of Pope Benedict XVI’s planned visit this weekend to Spain, which he has identified as an important battlefield in his struggle to shore up Christian belief in an increasingly secular — and implicitly Muslim — Europe.

"...it would be inappropriate to call the current mosque of Damascus the Basilica of St. John or to expect that it could be both a place of Muslim and Christian worship,” Bishop Fernández added, referring to the Syrian site where an Umayyad mosque was built in the eighth century above a fourth-century church said to contain the remains of John the Baptist.

I especially like this part:

...“Every time some Islamic fundamentalist, in a video on Al Jazeera or other channels, calls for the re-conquest of Al Andalus, the old Muslim dominion, people show up here calling for the use of the cathedral as a place of Islamic worship,” said the Rev. Manuel Montilla Caballero, who oversees the diocese’s nighttime tours of the monument, which use dramatic lighting to showcase the splendid architecture.

And this:

This week, a judge in Córdoba charged eight Austrian Muslims with disturbing the peace when they entered the monument in small groups on Good Friday this year, began to pray loudly and scuffled with security guards and local police officers who tried to stop them.

Interesting:

“It’s a tendency that I feel across Spain, a certain inclination to want to cancel anything related to Islamic Spanish history,” he said.

^

This Is A Wrap-Around Story

Many years ago, when we were all young, I seem to recall a friend who put on tefillin for a while.

She was female.

Credit: L. Nimoy


I recalled that when I read this (but wait, there's a political angle on this as well):-

...According to a release from the Israel Religious Action Center, Noa Raz was accosted last week by the man in Beersheba’s bus station while waiting to board a bus that she takes to her job in Tel Aviv.

Raz was asked by the man two times if the imprints (*) that he noticed on her arms were from tefillin. When she answered that they were, he attacked her, kicking and strangling her. He also screamed “women are an abomination.” It is being reported that she was able to free herself from the attacker and managed to board her bus.

Raz, a Conservative Jew, is a member of Women of the Wall...The Israeli Religious Action Center has asked the Beersheba police to label the attack as a hate crime, after Raz filed a report with authorities on Wednesday.

Up until here, I was all wrapped up in her story with full sympathy.

But...

The executive director of Women of the Wall, Anat Hoffman, characterized the assault as not being isolated but instead part of a growing trend towards creating a threatening environment for women who want to pray openly. The incident “should not be seen as an isolated incident but as taking place within an atmosphere of growing violence toward and intimidation of women who seek to pray freely and equally," Hoffman told JTA.

She added, "Too often these acts of violence are tolerated. The fact that this man thought it acceptable to attack a woman for performing a religious act in private is an example of the escalation of violence targeted against women and against religious pluralists in Israel."

Dear Anat (a good acquaintance of mine in real life), if we treated all "isolated incidents" as a product of an "escalation of a growing atmosphere of violence" that is "tolerated", what are we to do about left-wing acts against chareidim, Yesha residents, etc. that we thought were simply aberrations of individuals rather than a result of an ideological onslaught against political opponents?

After all, there is always another side to the story:-

Poll: 83% of haredim suffer ethnic discrimination

While most respondents say they have not experienced phenomenon, majority of haredi sector say they, or someone they know, were subject to discrimination. Survey also reveals half of Israelis give State failing grade on 'acceptance of others'

And as a postscript, a tefillin imprint is so much better than a tattoo.


(*)
My own imprint:




- - -

The US State Dept.'s Religious Freedom Overview - Israel

From

Israel and the occupied territories
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
International Religious Freedom Report 2009
October 26, 2009

The 1967 Protection of Holy Sites Law applies to holy sites of all religious groups within the country and in all of Jerusalem, but the Government implements regulations only for Jewish sites. [not really. it refuses to promulgate any regulations as for time, place, etc. as regards the Temple Mount] Non-Jewish holy sites do not enjoy legal protection under it because the Government does not recognize them as official holy sites. At the end of 2008, there were 137 designated holy sites, all of which were Jewish. Furthermore, the Government has drafted regulations to identify, protect, and fund only Jewish holy sites. [that sounds starnge. I have been at dozens of Christian sites that are identified as such]

While well-known sites have de facto protection as a result of their international importance, many Muslim and Christian sites are neglected, inaccessible, or threatened by property developers and municipalities. The Christian pilgrimage sites around the Sea of Galilee face periodic threats of encroachment from district planners who want to use parts of their properties for recreation. In the past, only diplomatic interventions have forestalled such efforts. Such sites do, however, enjoy certain protections under the general Penal Law (criminal code), which makes it a criminal offense to damage any holy site. Following a 2007 order by the High Court to explain its unequal implementation of the 1967 Protection of Holy Sites Law, the Government responded in March 2008 that specific regulations were not necessary for the protection of any holy sites. The Government did not explain why it therefore promulgated regulations for Jewish sites but not for non-Jewish sites.

and this

Restrictions on access to non-Jewish religious sites, as well as limits on funding and protection of those sites, also contributed to religious tensions. [is that an oblique reference to the Temple Mount?]

ah, here's the TM. It's located in something called "THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES (INCLUDING AREAS SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY)" :-

In East Jerusalem, the Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) contains the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, among the holiest sites in Islam. Jews refer to the same place as the Temple Mount and consider it the location of the ancient Jewish temple. The location has been, as with all of East Jerusalem, under Israeli control since 1967, when Israel captured the city (East Jerusalem was formally annexed in 1980, and thus Israel applies its laws to East Jerusalem). The Haram al-Sharif--and all other Waqf institutions in Jerusalem--are administered, however, by the Jerusalem Waqf, a Jordanian-funded and administered Islamic trust and charitable organization with ties to the PA.

The Government of Israel, as a matter of stated policy, opposes non-Muslim worship at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount since 1967. Israeli police generally do not permit public prayer by non-Muslims and publicly indicated that this policy remains operative even though non-Muslims visit the compound...A group of Jewish extremists vandalized a Muslim cemetery near the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount on May 22, 2009. The same day, a Jewish group carrying Israeli flags and wearing shirts depicting the Jewish temple attempted to forcibly enter the site. According to credible reports, the same group vandalized some Palestinian-owned shops in the Old City after Israeli police turned them away from the compound.

Hey, they didn't invite me -

Section IV. U.S. Government Policy

U.S. Government officials discuss religious freedom with the PA as part of its overall policy to promote human rights.

The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem regularly met with religious representatives to ensure their legitimate grievances were reported and addressed. The consulate general maintained a high level of contact with representatives of the Jerusalem Waqf. U.S. Government officials had frequent contact with Muslim leaders throughout Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. The consulate also maintained regular contact with leaders of the Christian and Jewish communities in Jerusalem and the West Bank. During the reporting period, the Consul General and Consulate General officers met with the Greek, Latin, and Armenian Patriarchs, leaders of the Syrian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Coptic, Anglican, and Lutheran Churches, as well as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Consulate General officers also met with rabbis, other central figures from Orthodox religious groups, and representatives of other Jewish groups.

During the reporting period, the Consulate General investigated a range of charges including allegations of damage to places of worship, incitement, and allegations concerning access to holy sites. Consulate General officers met with representatives of the Bethlehem Christian community and traveled to the area to investigate charges of PA mistreatment of Christians. The Consulate General raised the issue of seizure of Christian-owned land in discussions with PA officials and with the Jerusalem Municipality.

On Muslim Intolerance and Israel's Wrong-headed Policy on the Temple Mount

Extracts/selections from David Kirshenbaum's Intolerance on the Temple Mount:

...Visiting the Temple Mount is a schizophrenic experience. When standing there, it is impossible not to be awestruck by the magnitude of where you are and the enormity of the colossal events that took place there. It is on the Temple Mount that both the First and Second Temple stood for nearly 1,000 years...Throughout history, whenever and wherever Jews were engaged in prayer, they faced Jerusalem. And when in Jerusalem, they pray in the direction of the Temple Mount...imagine your family tree and to consider when the last time anybody in the family line had been on the Temple Mount...

But now...I was forbidden to pray. Simply moving my lips in whispered prayer could be grounds for removal. Why? Because I am a Jew. And only a Muslim can pray on the holiest site in Judaism. A Jew may not.

...[in 1967] defense minister Moshe Dayan decided to allow the Muslim religious council, the Wakf, to retain administrative authority over the Temple Mount. Thus, a truly bizarre and unacceptable situation developed.

Israel has scrupulously upheld Muslim worship at the Aksa Mosque...But in glaring contrast, Israel has, for the past 43 years, failed to challenge the Muslim ban on Jewish worship on the Temple Mount...the pattern of Islamic religious imperialism, exemplified by the Wakf's contemptible conduct on the Temple Mount, must not be ignored.

The problem is not simply that the Arabs have attempted to take as their own every site in Israel holy to Judaism, whether it be the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem or Joseph's Tomb in Nablus. But in doing so, they have consistently attempted to obliterate the historic Jewish connection and claim to each of those sites.

In...Bethlehem, a concerted policy by the Palestinian Authority to Islamicize the city and terrorize the Christian population resulted in a reduction in the percentage of Christians living there from 60 percent to less than 15% today.

We pay a terrible price when we close our eyes to the trampling of human rights and religious freedom out of fear of enraging the Muslim world. The Temple Mount is a huge area. It is the length of nearly five football fields north to south, and nearly three football fields east to west. It is certainly large enough to accommodate the ancient call of the prophet Isaiah recited in fervent prayer by Jews on Yom Kippur: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations."

The sooner we take action to help bring this about, the better.

Note - Not "Jewish" Men & Women

UPI reports:

Israel eased up restrictions for West Bank Palestinians and extended the operational hours of some of the crossings in the territories for the month of Ramadan.

A statement issued by the Israeli army Thursday said the new measures will be enforced throughout the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid-al-Fitr holiday "as part of Israel's general policy to improve the quality of life of the Palestinian population in the area."

...The army said men over the age of 50 and women over the age of 45 will be allowed to pray at the Temple Mount.

Jewish men and women cannot pray on the Temple Mount.


-------------------

Additional visual

This Media Outlet Got It Right

From a Washington Times editorial:

Mrs. Clinton's wrong message on religion

Monday, February 23, 2009

During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Asian tour, a Japanese student asked her how to "eliminate the prejudice towards the Islamic world" in the context of the war on terrorism. Mrs. Clinton responded that the struggle against terrorism is not the result of prejudice against the Muslim world, but a defense against violent extremism. So far so good. Then she added, "Every religion has people who misuse that religion. You know, I'm a Christian, and through the centuries we've had many people who have done terrible things in the name of Christianity. They have perverted the religion."

These pandering remarks send the wrong message...

...Rather than pandering, the United States should be sending a positive message to the world regarding the role of religion in our society. The United States is a plural nation with constitutionally guaranteed freedom of worship. In our country people of all faiths live side by side without strife. Religion plays an important role in American society, but in a way that respects the rights and obligations of all believers and, as President Obama likes to point out, the rights of the non-believers as well...

...Were Mrs. Clinton bolder still, she could use the example of Israel, in which freedom of worship is so respected that Israeli sharia courts have the same legal status as rabbinical courts in matters of personal status, such as cases of marriage and divorce. Furthermore, the holiest site in the world for Jews, the Temple Mount, is dominated by a gold-domed mosque. Will we ever see a synagogue in Mecca?

Mecca?

But that's off-limits for non-Muslims, no?

Oh, that's the point.

Thank God for Santa

A story from Colorado:

The Golden City Council voted unanimously on Thursday night to only allow secular items on city property for the holidays this year.

The city made the decision because the lights on Washington Street stirred up controversy. A local rabbi asked that a Hanukkah menorah be added to the decorations on the main street, but the city resisted, saying it didn't want religious symbols.

...The rabbi countered that Christmas lights are religious in nature.

The city disagreed and Thursday night's resolution allows the lights to stay up.

There is one exception. A Santa Claus that is traditionally on the arch over Washington Street will stay because of its historical nature. The figure has been there as a tradition for many years.

So, tradition isn't the same as religious.

But if it isn't there one year, does that break the tradition?

Thanks God.

Ever Hear of the PA's Rapporteur of the Presidential Committee for Christian Affairs?

PLO Mission
Washington, DC

May 2, 2008

Subject: Measures taken by Israel during the Easter celebrations

From: Issa Kasseissieh
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 5:14 PM
To:
Subject: Measures taken by Israel during the Easter celebrations
Importance: High

Dear all,

Please find attached statements issued by different local Christian organizations, including a statement by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, on the measures taken by Israel during the Orthodox Easter celebrations in the Old City of Jerusalem, where Christians were harassed, singled out and prevented from worshiping freely in violation of the Status Quo law that has existed for hundreds of years. These Israeli measures are also a violation of the basic human rights for freedom of worship.

We at the Presidential Committee for Christian Affairs calls upon you to use your good offices to intervene immediately and convey a message to the Israeli authorities that such measures are unacceptable, and freedom of worship must be guaranteed to all and that the Status Quo must be respected.

Please note that earlier the Presidential Committee for Christian Affairs issued a statement cautioning of the impeding harassment of Christians by the Israeli authorities- this statement was issued on April 24th and published in the local media

Best regards,

Issa Kassissieh
Rapporteur of the Presidential Committee for Christian Affairs
Office of the President

And the release:-

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Arab Orthodox Institutes in East Jerusalem
April 27th, 2008

Arab Orthodox Institutes in East Jerusalem Denounce & Condemn Israeli Measures on Holy Saturday

Arab Orthodox institutes in East Jerusalem denounced and condemned the Israeli measures on Holy Saturday, one of the holiest days for Christians.

The institutes wrote in a special communiqué issued yesterday, "The Israeli police forces denied believers from the Arab Orthodox congregation access to the Church of Holy Sepulcher to perform their religious duties. This violates basic human rights of religious freedom and rights."

The communiqué added, "The Israeli police used stringent force and physically assaulted civilian worshippers with clubs and fists. In addition, the Israeli forces arrested a number of Christian civilians and prevented them from reaching holy places."

The Arab Orthodox institutes called on heads of local Churches in Jerusalem, particularly his Eminence the Greek Orthodox Patriarch in the holy city, to take urgent steps to protect the right of Jerusalemite Christians in performing religious duties in peace and security, far from military checkpoints that deny them access to holy places in Jerusalem.

In addition, the institutes called on the diplomatic missions, Christian organizations and human rights institutions to intervene and put an end to the Israeli human rights violations in the Holy Land.

-End

Contact:

Adv. Nabil Mushahwar
Head of the Orthodox Club in Jerusalem
Mobile: +972 (0)505 365071

Mr. Hanna Karkar
St. Jacobs Orthodox Cathedral in Jerusalem
Mobile: +972 (0)544 546349

Does anyone think I'd be aided in my problem of religious freedom vis a vis the Temple Mount?

U.S. Report Biased

The U.S. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, is out.

Here's from the section on "Israel and the occupied territories":-

c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading

...according to the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Mossawa Advocacy Center for Arab Citizens of Israel (Mossawa).

...On March 6, the NGO B'Tselem alleged....

...In a report released December 10, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) cited...

...The NGO Hotline for Migrant Workers reported...

So, no independent research?

So, who else can provide material?

In the second report (below), I found in this regard:-

Israeli activists reported numerous examples in which PA television shows invoked messages that activists considered anti-Semitic or that attempted to de-legitimize Jewish history in general.

Notice that, some nebulous "activists". No name. Not like the above respectable groups which aren't necessarily tained by being "Israeli" (although they are).

And a parallel report has this to say about the Temple Mount, inter alia:-

...The Haram al-Sharif is administered, however, by the Islamic Waqf, a Jordanian-funded and administered Muslim religious trust for East Jerusalem with ties to the PA. The Israeli police have exclusive control of the Mughrabi Gate entrance to the compound and limit access to the compound from all entrances. The Waqf can object to entrance of particular persons, such as non-Muslim religious radicals, or to prohibited activities, such as prayer by non-Muslims or disrespectful clothing or behavior, but lacks effective authority to remove anyone from the site. In practice Waqf officials claimed that police often allowed religious radicals (such as Jews seeking to remove the mosques and to rebuild the ancient temple on the site) and immodestly dressed persons to enter and often were not responsive to enforcing the site's rules. During Passover in 2007, Israeli police escorted more than 100 activists affiliated with the right-wing group "The Temple Mount Faithful" to enter the compound on two consecutive days, the second day while carrying a model of the Second Temple[!!!].

The Israeli Government, as a matter of stated policy, has opposed worship at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount by non-Muslims since 1967. Israeli police generally did not permit public prayer by non-Muslims and publicly indicated that this policy has not changed in light of the renewed visits of non-Muslims to the compound. However, Waqf officials contended that Israeli police, in contravention of their stated policy and the religious status quo, have allowed members of radical Jewish groups to enter and to worship at the site, including during Passover 2007. Representatives for these Jewish groups claimed successful attempts to pray inside the compound in interviews with the Israeli media. The Waqf interpreted police actions as part of an Israeli policy to incrementally reduce Waqf authority over the site and to give non-Muslims rights of worship in parts of the compound.

There were several violent clashes during the reporting period between Israeli police and Muslim worshippers on the Haram al-Sharif, which Waqf officials alleged were due to the large police contingent kept on the site. At times Muslim worshippers threw stones at police, and police fired tear gas and stun grenades at worshippers. Muslim worshippers also held demonstrations at the site to protest reported right-wing Israeli nationalist plans to damage the mosques or create a Jewish worship area at the site. Israeli security officials and police were generally proactive and effective in dealing with such threats.

...There were also disputes between the Muslim administrators of the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount and Israeli authorities regarding Israeli restrictions on Waqf attempts to carry out repairs and physical improvements on the compound and its mosques. Israeli authorities prevented the Waqf from conducting several improvement projects and removing debris from previous restorations to the site, alleging that the Waqf was attempting to alter the nature of the site or to discard antiquities of Jewish origin. Israeli authorities began excavations near the Mughrabi gate, preparing to build a permanent ramp onto the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. Waqf officials were not allowed access to the excavations in early 2007 and claimed they were not consulted in any part of the planning process for either the excavations or the ramp that will be constructed to replace the existing ramp. At the end of this reporting period, the excavations were suspended.

And what about Waqf excavations destroying Jewish historical artifacts?

Found this further on in the report:-

There were instances of right-wing Israeli nationalists harassing Muslims. On several occasions, a group known as the Temple Mount Faithful attempted to force their way inside the wall enclosing the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. [that's harrassment or a demand for equal religious freedom?] In addition, the same group periodically attempted to lay a cornerstone for the building of a new Jewish temple that would replace the Islamic Dome of the Rock, an act that Muslims considered provocative and offensive. Members of this organization were allowed access to the Haram a-Sharif/Temple Mount, including access to the Dome of the Rock, during Passover 2007.

And in the section, Abuses of Religious Freedom, we read:-

During Jewish holidays the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) closes to Muslims the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, the second most important mosque for Muslims in the Occupied Territories after Al Aqsa Mosque/Temple Mount. The IDF reopens the al-Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron to Muslim worship for times other than during Jewish holidays. During the reporting period, Israeli officers at times prevented the muezzin at the al-Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron from sounding the call to prayer when Jews were praying in their portion of the shrine.

But (a) this is the agreement as a result of Oslo; and (b) preventing interference noise is a matter of common courtesy, no?

Religious Freedom?

Here's an excerpt from the US State Department's Report of Religious Freedom as regards the question of the Temple Mount.

Notice how, when touching on the definition of the status of the Temple Mount, the Haram al-Sharif is most definitely what the Muslims claim it is whereas for Jews, we only "refer" to it or "consider" it implying that it's not really true. That's a bit of the State Dept.'s own discrimination at work, I'd say.

Here's the material with some comments of mine in brackets:

Restrictions on Religious Freedom

PA government policy contributed to the generally free practice of religion, although problems persisted. The Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) contains the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, among the holiest sites in Islam. Jews refer to the same place as the Temple Mount and consider it the location of the ancient Jewish temple. The location has been, as with all of East Jerusalem, under Israeli control since 1967, when Israel captured the city (East Jerusalem was formally annexed in 1980, and thus Israel applies its laws to East Jerusalem). The Haram al-Sharif is administered, however, by the Islamic Waqf, a Jordanian-funded and administered Muslim religious trust for East Jerusalem with ties to the PA. The Israeli police have exclusive control of the Mughrabi Gate entrance to the compound and limit access to the compound from all entrances. The Waqf can object to entrance of particular persons, such as non-Muslim religious radicals, [that's me or Gershon Solomon] or to prohibited activities, such as prayer by non-Muslims or disrespectful clothing or behavior, but lacks effective authority to remove anyone from the site. In practice Waqf officials claimed that police often allowed religious radicals (such as Jews seeking to remove the mosques and to rebuild the ancient temple on the site) and immodestly dressed persons to enter and often were not responsive to enforcing the site's rules. During Passover in 2007, Israeli police escorted more than 100 activists affiliated with the right-wing group "The Temple Mount Faithful" to enter the compound on two consecutive days, the second day while carrying a model of the Second Temple [oh my gosh. wait, isn't that "religious freedom" for Jews??].

Non-Muslims may visit the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, with advance coordination with Waqf officials. The Israeli Government, as a matter of stated policy, has opposed worship at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount by non-Muslims since 1967 [not discriminmatory?]. Israeli police generally did not permit public prayer by non-Muslims and publicly indicated that this policy has not changed in light of the renewed visits of non-Muslims to the compound. However, Waqf officials contended that Israeli police, in contravention of their stated policy and the religious status quo, have allowed members of radical Jewish groups to enter and to worship at the site, including during Passover 2007. Representatives for these Jewish groups claimed successful attempts to pray inside the compound in interviews with the Israeli media. The Waqf interpreted police actions as part of an Israeli policy to incrementally reduce Waqf authority over the site and to give non-Muslims rights of worship in parts of the compound.

There were several violent clashes during the reporting period between Israeli police and Muslim worshippers on the Haram al-Sharif, which Waqf officials alleged were due to the large police contingent kept on the site. At times Muslim worshippers threw stones at police, and police fired tear gas and stun grenades at worshippers. Muslim worshippers also held demonstrations at the site to protest reported right-wing Israeli nationalist plans to damage the mosques or create a Jewish worship area at the site. Israeli security officials and police were generally proactive and effective in dealing with such threats.

Citing violence and security concerns, the Israeli Government has imposed a broad range of strict closures and curfews throughout the Occupied Territories since October 2000. These restrictions largely continued during the reporting period and resulted in significantly impeded freedom of access to places of worship in the West Bank for Muslims and Christians.

The Israeli Government prevented most Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza from reaching the Haram al-Sharif by prohibiting their entry into Jerusalem. Restrictions were often placed on entry into the Haram al-Sharif for Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, especially males under the age of 45. During the clashes surrounding the excavations at the Mughrabi Gate ramp in 2007, males under the age of 50 were prohibited entry to the Haram al-Sharif.

There were also disputes between the Muslim administrators of the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount and Israeli authorities regarding Israeli restrictions on Waqf attempts to carry out repairs and physical improvements on the compound and its mosques. Israeli authorities prevented the Waqf from conducting several improvement projects and removing debris from previous restorations to the site, alleging that the Waqf was attempting to alter the nature of the site or to discard antiquities of Jewish origin. Israeli authorities began excavations near the Mughrabi gate, preparing to build a permanent ramp onto the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. Waqf officials were not allowed access to the excavations in early 2007 and claimed they were not consulted in any part of the planning process for either the excavations or the ramp that will be constructed to replace the existing ramp. At the end of this reporting period, the excavations were suspended...

...Anti-Semitism

Palestinian media frequently published and broadcast material criticizing the Israeli occupation, including dismissing Jewish connections to Jerusalem. In September 2005 Sheikh Taysir al-Tamimi, the Chief Justice and President of the Higher Shari'a Council, called the Israeli Government's claim of a Jewish connection to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount a "baseless lie" and a provocation to Muslims everywhere. Al-Tamimi also warned against the "Judaization" of Jerusalem.

And there is also this:-

During the reporting period, Palestinian violence against Israeli settlers prevented some Israelis from reaching Jewish holy sites in the Occupied Territories, such as Joseph's Tomb near Nablus. Since early 2001, following the outbreak of the Intifada, the Israeli Government has prohibited Israeli citizens in unofficial capacities from traveling to the parts of the West Bank under the civil and security control of the PA. This restriction prevented Israeli Arabs from visiting Muslim and Christian holy sites in the West Bank, and it prevented Jewish Israelis from visiting other sites, including an ancient synagogue in Jericho. Visits to the Jericho synagogue have been severely curtailed as a result of disagreements between Israel and the PA over security arrangements.

Settler violence against Palestinians prevented some Palestinians from reaching holy sites in the Occupied Territories. Settlers in Hebron have in previous reporting periods forcibly prevented Muslim muezzins from reaching the al-Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs to sound the call to prayer and have harassed Muslim worshippers in Hebron. Settler harassment of Palestinians in Hebron was a regular occurrence in this reporting period. The Israeli Government did not effectively respond to settler-initiated blocking of Muslim religious sites.