Rumors that senior government officials are planning to hand over control of Kever David on Mt. Tzion in Jerusalem’s Old City are not new, recently addressed by Rabbi Chaim Miller of the Movement for Jerusalem & its Residents.
The Catholic Church claims portions of the tziyun site and tragically, government leaders seem to lack a fundamental understanding of the significance of handing over sovereignty of portions of Eretz HaKodesh to others R”L, even among rabbonim who posit that Kever David is not the location regarded as the tziyun.
MK Rabbi Uri Maklev on Monday 19 Shevat 5774 addressed the matter, demanding that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reveal any secret agreement that he reached with Vatican officials within 21 days. Maklev presented his demand in the form of an official Knesset query.
Maklev points out that the foreign media has published reports that Israel and the Vatican are finalizing such an agreement, which is expected to be completed in the coming months, by which the Vatican will assume control of the site. Maklev adds state officials have been unwilling to officially address the matter and the Foreign Minister is not willing to issue a denial.
In his query to Prime Minister Netanyahu Maklev writes that if the reports are indeed accurate, this represents “A severe and mortal blow to the nature of Holy Sites to Am Yisrael and בכייה לדרות”.
Maklev rejects that any Government of Israel encourages the voluntary handover of such a valuable asset, a process that represents the hashkafa of the administration which seeks to uproot the Jewish identity of Israel.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
It was the countries of Eino Yehudim who were in charge of building the first Bais Hamikdosh. See Melochim Aleph.
All Malchei Yehudah kept on giving away Keilim and money from the Azoroh and Lishchas Hakesef to other countries.
One wonders at the selective indignation by some politicians. Does MK Maklev have the same fears and misgivings about Hebron, Shechem or any other part of Eretz Yisroel? More critically,whatever MK Maklev says about kever Dovid, it remains within our possession yet some chareidi leaders have no problem giving away -forever,G-d forbid- other parts of Eretz Yisroel. This is grandstanding on a large scale!
it would be better under catholic control than under zionist control
Rabbiofberlin and kolemes:
Who KNOWS what the church would the tziyun of Dovid Hamelech into, c”v? Also the Diaspora Yeshiva has been there for four decades. At least the government has let them stay there – would the church?
Kolemes – you prefer Ovdei Avoda Zara over jews? You want to increase Avoda Zara in E”Y?