?The whole world should know!? Israel?s leaders proclaim.
Over two years ago, on September 27, 2001, flames and smoke arose from Joseph?s tomb in Shechem. An Arab mob armed with pick axes entered the site and proceeded to smash the stone building until it crumbled into a heap of stones. Prayer books and religious items were strewn about and desecrated, and then set aflame. One picture in the media displayed a young Arab trampling upon a holy book. The crowd, seething in its hatred, jeered in delight at the spectacle of the Yeshiva Od Yosef Chai located at the site, in flames.
Some time within the last two weeks, that hideous act of desecration over two years earlier was completed as Arabs entered the Joseph?s Tomb and smashed the stone marking the grave into pieces. Photos taken at the scene reveal the tombstone as a mere pile of stones.
Minister Natan Sharansky called upon Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to publicize the act of desecration: ?If we would have razed the grave site of one of the founders of Islam, billions of Muslims would have taken to the street. It?s inconceivable that the world should not know about this travesty.? The ministers concurred and stated that they will release the photos. Thus, the world will see.
The photos of course reveal nothing that has not been demonstrated innumerable times before. Once again, voices are raised in indignation to an obvious miscarriage of justice announcing that, ?the world should know?. But Minister Sharansky, has the world not already seen enough violations since Oslo to reshape its opinion? What will they suddenly see now?
To say that the Palestinians violated agreements by allowing mobs to destroy this sacred place is so superfluous to the point that it is ridiculous. Obviously, such agreements will be violated. How many times does one cry foul?
What do the photos prove? What the Palestinians do to religious sites. There are already dozens of rolls of film displaying such disregard for other sites. The whole world already saw the footage of the attack on Joseph?s tomb two years ago. The question beckons, who allowed the Palestinians control over Joseph?s tomb so they could destroy it? Furthermore, on the subject of sacred sites, who allowed the Waqf of Jerusalem to ?renovate? parts of the Temple Mount of Jerusalem, doing severe damage to remains of the Temple, while casting aside priceless ancient artifacts of the Temple Judaism?s holiest site outside into heaps? Blame is sometimes a double-edged sword.
The despicable desecration of Joseph?s tomb gives Israel?s leaders another attempt to prove to a world, which for the most part does not seem to care too much (unless the story is about a blood libel at Jenin), that Palestinians do not honor their agreements, and are bent upon the goal of Israel?s destruction. The Israeli government may show pictures and proclaim Palestinian guilt, but ultimately it left the site to the ?protection? of the Palestinian Authority and was no doubt aware that such desecration was at least conceivable if not foreseeable. That, the world might notice.
The issue at hand is about a sacred site, yet it is also about national pride, and more importantly security. If Israel does not act to protect a sight of such significance, it will be perceived by its enemies as unable or unwilling to do so. Such brazen acts of destruction, if not strongly discouraged will beget more brazen acts.
Minister Sharansky! Do you want to impart a message that will get the world?s attention? Proclaim that the people of Israel have had enough of the lies of Oslo and that the charade is over. Tell the world that you are recommending that the IDF right a wrong and re-enter Shechem to rebuild Joseph?s tomb.
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Larry Domnitch is an author and educator who resides in Efrat.
************
Spend Passover with Arutz Sheva at a resort in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Kfar Pines (near Hadera). Click here for info.
Over two years ago, on September 27, 2001, flames and smoke arose from Joseph?s tomb in Shechem. An Arab mob armed with pick axes entered the site and proceeded to smash the stone building until it crumbled into a heap of stones. Prayer books and religious items were strewn about and desecrated, and then set aflame. One picture in the media displayed a young Arab trampling upon a holy book. The crowd, seething in its hatred, jeered in delight at the spectacle of the Yeshiva Od Yosef Chai located at the site, in flames.
Some time within the last two weeks, that hideous act of desecration over two years earlier was completed as Arabs entered the Joseph?s Tomb and smashed the stone marking the grave into pieces. Photos taken at the scene reveal the tombstone as a mere pile of stones.
Minister Natan Sharansky called upon Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to publicize the act of desecration: ?If we would have razed the grave site of one of the founders of Islam, billions of Muslims would have taken to the street. It?s inconceivable that the world should not know about this travesty.? The ministers concurred and stated that they will release the photos. Thus, the world will see.
The photos of course reveal nothing that has not been demonstrated innumerable times before. Once again, voices are raised in indignation to an obvious miscarriage of justice announcing that, ?the world should know?. But Minister Sharansky, has the world not already seen enough violations since Oslo to reshape its opinion? What will they suddenly see now?
To say that the Palestinians violated agreements by allowing mobs to destroy this sacred place is so superfluous to the point that it is ridiculous. Obviously, such agreements will be violated. How many times does one cry foul?
What do the photos prove? What the Palestinians do to religious sites. There are already dozens of rolls of film displaying such disregard for other sites. The whole world already saw the footage of the attack on Joseph?s tomb two years ago. The question beckons, who allowed the Palestinians control over Joseph?s tomb so they could destroy it? Furthermore, on the subject of sacred sites, who allowed the Waqf of Jerusalem to ?renovate? parts of the Temple Mount of Jerusalem, doing severe damage to remains of the Temple, while casting aside priceless ancient artifacts of the Temple Judaism?s holiest site outside into heaps? Blame is sometimes a double-edged sword.
The despicable desecration of Joseph?s tomb gives Israel?s leaders another attempt to prove to a world, which for the most part does not seem to care too much (unless the story is about a blood libel at Jenin), that Palestinians do not honor their agreements, and are bent upon the goal of Israel?s destruction. The Israeli government may show pictures and proclaim Palestinian guilt, but ultimately it left the site to the ?protection? of the Palestinian Authority and was no doubt aware that such desecration was at least conceivable if not foreseeable. That, the world might notice.
The issue at hand is about a sacred site, yet it is also about national pride, and more importantly security. If Israel does not act to protect a sight of such significance, it will be perceived by its enemies as unable or unwilling to do so. Such brazen acts of destruction, if not strongly discouraged will beget more brazen acts.
Minister Sharansky! Do you want to impart a message that will get the world?s attention? Proclaim that the people of Israel have had enough of the lies of Oslo and that the charade is over. Tell the world that you are recommending that the IDF right a wrong and re-enter Shechem to rebuild Joseph?s tomb.
--------------------------------------------------------
Larry Domnitch is an author and educator who resides in Efrat.
************
Spend Passover with Arutz Sheva at a resort in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Kfar Pines (near Hadera). Click here for info.