Opinion Editorials, March 2010

Why Protest Building the Hurva Synagogue in the Palestinian Occupied City of Jerusalem 

By Mazin Qumsiyeh

Al-Jazeerah, ccun.org, March 22, 2010

The Hurva synagogue was destroyed in the 1948 war by the Jordanian army.  Before 1948, synagogues were used by Zionist underground forces for illicit activities including hording weapons.*  But why is there a furor over building it again? First we must recognize that International law is rather clear that East Jerusalem is illegally occupied by Israel and per the Geneva conventions, and buildings or activities in the occupied areas are subject to those conventions.  Any transfer of population to the occupied areas including infrastructure for these individuals is considered proscribed settlement activity contrary to both the letter and the spirit of the law. 
 
Second, Israel News reported that: "According to a centuries-old rabbinical prophecy that appears to be coming true, on March 16, 2010, Israel will begin construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.  During the 18th century, the Vilna Gaon, a respected rabbinical authority, prophesied that the Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem, which was built during his day, would be destroyed and rebuilt twice, and that when the Hurva was completed for the third time, construction on the Third Temple would begin" http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=20063 Many Israelis believe this and there is a proliferation of designs, ceremonies and other events to launch this coming age of building a third temple. There are Muslim religious sites there: the first Qibla or direction of prayer for Islam and the third holiest site are the Haram Al-Sharif on this site.  There are Israeli digs underneath that threaten the site already and this only added fuel to the fire.
 
Third, Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and much of humanity, wonder why is it that such a synagogue is reconstructed but none of 1200 mosques and nearly 200 churches destroyed by Israel over the past 6 decades not allowed to be reconstructed? For me personally and for most Palestinains, we know the history shows Jews, Christians, and Muslims living peacefully together for 1400 years under Islamic rule (with very few exceptions).  We know that it is possible to simply have a Jewish area, a Christian area, a Muslim area or even mixed areas.  We know it is possible even to intermarry, have friendships, etc.  But Zionism had a different idea and it did not revolve on coexisting but on ethnic cleansing and destruction of others.  How else can we explain the destruction of 530 villages and towns? How can we explain the rapid growth of colonial settlements on Palestinian land or even inside Palestinian homes? There is surely enough space here for all.  Why are Palestinians denied the right to go to school just this week (see story and picture where they even held school at the checkpoint, http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=269548). Why not simply live and let live.  The density of population inside the Green line is now nearly 1/8th that of areas of the West Bank and Gaza that are designated reservations/ghettos for the native Palestinians. If Jews want to live in the old Jewish quarter of East Jerusalem and rebuild the synagogue there, why not allow the Palestinians to return to the old neighborhoods in West Jerusalem and rebuild the many churches and mosques there?
 
AIPAC issued a statement supporting Vice President Biden who claimed that there is no space between the US and Israel.  In other words, the US and Israeli interests and policies are/must be one and the same including on starvation, oppression, colonization etc.  (and oh yes, we have to always put Iran first now that we finished off Iraq for the sake of Israel). US General David Petreaus disagrees:
 
"Insufficient progress toward a comprehensive Middle East peace. The enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbors present distinct challenges to our ability to advance our interests in the AOR. Israeli-Palestinian tensions often flare into violence and large-scale armed confrontations. The conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel. Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples in the AOR and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilize support. The conflict also gives Iran influence in the Arab world through its clients, Lebanese Hizballah and Hamas."
 
I would go much further and say the US interests and treasury have already been crippled by the subserviant relationship to Israeli lobbies.  If the lobby finally succeeds in deepening the conflict with Iran, it will not be Iran that loses, but US and Israel will suffer a horrible blow.  The US economy would go into a tail spin and the value of the $3 billion dollars in US military aid to Israel will be reduced even further as the US dollar accelerates its decline.
 
*This was common practice for the Haganah and other forces to fire from synagogues and use them as military outposts, see http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtStEng.jhtml?itemNo=1061955&contrassID=19&subContrassID=1&title='WATCH:%20British%20Mandate-era%20arms%20cache%20found%20in%20Hod%20Hasharon%20synagogue'&dyn_server=172.20.5.5
 
Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
Popular Committee to Resist the Wall and Settlements-Beit Sahour
A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home
http://www.qumsiyeh.org 
http://www.pcr.ps