The IDF is preventing a delegation of rabbis from entering the Arab village of Yasuf, near Kfar Tapuach, in the Shomron. The rabbis and others, strongly condemning the vandalism perpetrated on the mosque in Yasuf at the end of last week, wish to offer their sympathy to the local Arabs.
The delegation has been stopped at the Tapuach junction, a critical intersection leading to Shechem (Nablus) in the north, the Jordan Valley in the east, Ariel and Tapuach in the west, and Eli-Shilo-Jerusalem in the south. The IDF said earlier that it could approve the visit on condition that it was arranged in advance.
Among the rabbis are Yehuda Gilad of Kibbutz Lavi in the Galilee, David Bigman of Kibbutz Maaleh Gilboa, Menachem Froman and his wife Hadassah of Tekoa in Gush Etzion. They are accompanied by professors and others.
Some of the rabbis brought with them copies of the Koran to replace those that were burnt. The army allowed a Muslim religious cleric who accompanied the rabbis from Jerusalem to take the books to Yasuf.
Why the Koran?
Sura (chapter) 9 of the Koran states, “And the Jews say: Uzair [Ezra] is the son of Allah… they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away.” Sura 5 states, "Don't take Christians and Jews as friends, or people of authority."
Israel National News asked one of the rabbis why they wished to replace copies of a book that has such passages in it. Rabbi Froman, whose idea it was to bring the Korans, explained, “I can be asked in general why I attempt to work with Islam, which has certainly been behind many terrorist attacks against Jews. I say that it is pointless to try to reach an understanding or peace agreement with secular Moslems and ignore the religious aspects. Islam is like its symbol – a crescent – much darkness and only some light. If G-d wills, we can reach the point where the light will overpower the darkness…”