It Started in 1930

Too many Jews and supporters of Israel assume that our rights to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, despite the claims of Muslims otherwise, are quite clear and its just a matter of ignorance, cosyness with Arab oil or plain hatred of Jews that allows them to ignore our rights.

Well, for all our attitude, it's not that simple.

If you click on over here, you'll be able to read a long and depressing report of an international commission that concluded in 1930 that the Temple Mount area and the Western Wall courtyard (it was then a small enclosed alleyway) are Waqf property and Jews are to be severely limited in what they can or cannot do.

Most notably, it was the prohibition on blowing the shofar that drew attention to the report.

It was established by the British, in coordination with the League of Nations Mandates Commission, after the 1929 riots which the Arabs, in the chutzpah, insisted was the result of Jewish provocations over the past year in asserting their rights to the Western Wall and our supposedly secret desire and plan to take over the Temple Mount.

During Rosh Hashana 1928, the British tore down the mechitza that had been set up after the Mufti complained that the status quo was being violated.

We may laugh or ignore it but it was PLO Chairman Arafat that continuously referred to "Muslim rights" and successive Israeli governments paid no attention to the potential weight this report carries.

I deal with the issue a bit more extensively here and I invite you to deliberate and debate.

Lebanon, I Salute Thee

Remember the several weeks-long fighting between Pal. refugees in Lebanon at a camp called Nahar Al-Barad?  You know, the one where Lebanese troops bombed, shelled and kicked these poor refugees around while the world applauded.  If you can't check here for a reminder.

Well, some are being let back into the ruins that exist - yes, nothing but ruins.  You can read all about it and see some pictures here.

 Lebanese officials have a great idea: they want to create a new model for these people who unfortunately continue to believe that they are going to go back to Jaffa, Isdud, Iskalan and El Quds.  They want to prove that they will be better off under local Lebanese authority rather than their misguiding own leadership.

Of course, there is this myth of a "right to return" and foremost among those who insist that Israel should not act like Lebanon, that is in resettling permanently the refugees in their host countries, will be Jews and Israeli academics. 

But what Lebanon is initiating is defintely a step in the right direction.

The Pals. started the violence against the Jews already in 1920.  They championed ethnic cleansing at Tel Chai, Jerusalem, Petah Tikva, Beer Tuviah, Tzfat and Hebron, among many other places they attacked and killed and raped Jews.  They caused 7000 Jewish refugees from Tel Aviv's southern neighborhoods in the first month of the 1947-49 war.  And that's just the short version.

I think it's about time someone told them and showed them that they are not going back.

Annapolis, Here We Come

Unless a major intervention occurs, and I am not excluding that possibility, another forum arranged to denude Israel of its necessary security, its national ethos and historic homeland, not to mention a cowardly retreat from fighting terror by America and Israel instead of rewarding it, is set to take place on November 26 at Annapolis, USA.

Just before it, during Nov. 11-13, the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities of America will be held at Nashville.  Two weeks before that, in Philadelphia, during Oct. 28-29, the Summit Conference of AIPAC will take place with Ehud Barak and Eli Weisel as guests.  As David Bedein mentioned to me, these two platforms will well serve Israel's leadership in garnering American Jewish support for their "We are tired" program (you do recall Ehud Olmert's "We are tired" speech of two years ago to the leftist Israel Policy Forum, don't you?).

This lead up is very dangerous for Israel's supporters.  The momentum that Olmert & Co. will churn up at these major appearances could well quash potential protest activity.  But will there be such activity in protest?

Is anybody in touch with the local community?  With Baltimore or Washington and its suburbs, closest to Annapolis?  Will there be rooms to sleep over at?  Food?  Support groups?

If YESHA activists and others do mobilize good numbers, can they be provided with infrastructure, intelleigence, maps, etc. so that a proper protest activity, all legal, be launched?

Of course, I would truly hope that people, here in Israel and in America, are thinking along these lines; and are planning and preparing.