In the Thursday 13 Marcheshvan edition of Yated Neeman, Y. Schwartz explains that a provocative act is met with a provocative act from the other side and in this case, when Jews ascend to Har Habayis acts of terror follow.
The writing was on the wall and it was only a matter of time until such terror attacks occurred due to the explosive atmosphere that prevails in the capital. This is an intifada, nothing less – despite the fact the chief of police insists this is not so. There is no reason to instill fear in the public but what can one do, the public is afraid, even without the police chief scaring them by calling the ongoing Arab violence a Third Intifada.
The government correctly points a finger of blame as the Chairman of the PA (Palestinian Authority) for he chronically refuses to move ahead to make peace. He has refused the most inviting offers, even the peace agreements offered to him by Prime Ministers Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak. For the PA it is far easier and advantageous to play the underdog, the downtrodden victim, resulting in international aid, primarily economic.
For if Abu Mazen gets his state and become the head of an recognized nation he will no longer receive the international donor funds that the PA enjoys today. He will be compelled to stop the anti-Israel terrorism and confront the various terror organizations.
In essence, Abu Mazen understands it is to his advantage to refuse all peace gestures and sit back to take advantage of every mistake made by Israel and place the blame on Jerusalem’s shoulders. This is why he opted to sign an agreement with Hamas and towards accomplishing that goal, he turned a blind eye to mounting terror and of late, he has decided to openly support terror. Just last week he sent a letter of condolence to the family of the would-be assassin who shot at Har Habayis activist Rabbi Yehuda Glick, wounding him seriously. The terrorist was shot dead the following day resisting arrest.
There can be no doubt that Abu Mazen’s hands are dripping with the blood from the terror attacks and he cannot shirk his responsibility as he did following the latest terror that struck the capital.
But why now?
Understanding all of this, and without detracting an iota from the PA’s responsibility, it is difficult to ignore another point, a worrisome one, one that occurs on the right-wing side of the political map.
This fragile and explosive time, a number of right-wing Members of Knesset decided to publically visit Har Habayis. And to be photographed while declaring “Har Habayis will always remain under Israeli sovereignty despite the Arab terrorism”.
It is somewhat difficult to grasp what is going on in the heads of these very same politicians. Just last week Rabbi Glick was wounded after a long campaign of incitement against Arabs in connection with his Har Habayis activism. There could not be any doubt the Palestinians are charged and would use this as an excuse to renew the violence and the intifada as the issue of Har Habayis has moved to the headlines and dominates regional politics as well. Al-Aqsa and their struggle to protect it has become the number one priority in the region.
Halacha of course prohibits ascending to Har Habayis as Gedolei Hador Shlita are concerned and determined to prevent one from transgressing a prohibiting that carries kores. But event from a political point of view, their actions are not wise but having a negative effect. Even for those to ascend to Har Habayis, they should have realized now is not the time and they should have taken a step back and waited instead of pushing the issue.
So what did these very same MKs believe, that they would visit Har Habayis, make their declarations and then the Arabs would fall in line obediently? It was clear to all the provocative act would be met with another provocation, one that is significantly harsher. It was clear that ascending to Har Habayis so brazenly would result in the spilling of more Jewish blood in the streets of Jerusalem and they were very well aware of this! Are these the results that they anticipated for they received them yesterday?
It must remain perfectly clear the blame rests on the PA and the Arabs responsible for the violence and the incitement cannot be ignored but there are those MKs who felt compelled to walk on Har Habayis and their actions did not contribute in the minutest way to restoring peace and security to the city.
Yes, authorities must respond to the violence with an iron fist and we are aware the struggle is about the Jewish presence in the eastern areas of the capital. This is all true but the MKs may also be a bit wiser and a bit less correct for this could have prevented bloodshed and they should think about it.
Following the recent event, Mark Regev, media advisor to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu released the following statement on Thursday morning 13 Marcheshvan.
“In last night’s security consultation, the prime minister made it clear that there will be no change in the status quo on Har Habayis and that whoever expresses a different opinion is presenting a personal view and not the policy of the government.”
Yaakov Spivak – Jerusalem
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6 Responses
ENOUGH, Yated, get a hold of the facts of life!!!
The existence of Jews, any Jews, religious or secular, Zionist or non-Zionist, nationalistic or NOT, black or white, Sefardic or Ashkenzic are all a PROVACTION to the Arabs if they are living between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.
It’s not SETTLEMENTS (remember Meah Shearim, Sharei CHesed were the first settlements outside of the old city), Walking on the Temple Mount, davening at the Kotel, living in Ir Haatika, residing in Har Shlomo (or Shuafet according to Arab brothers), Har Choma or even Rechavia – IT’S THE EXISTENCE OF JEWS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
The Yated does somersaults to show how peace-loving, and pacifist they are…….it will NOT help!!!
I’m glad someone finally said this. THERE IS NO NEED TO GO TO HAR HABAYIS. IT’S NOT WORTH IT. THERE IS A DEFINITE CONNECTION TO THE CURRENT VIOLENCE.
Everyone is trying to figure out how to control the Arabs whY don’t they just STOP GOING ON HAR HABAYIT like the rabbis are all saying and then maybe we won’t have to hear of tragedies every third minute why are they all so blind. Listen to Hashem and then he will protect you
It is obviously very enticing to blame this surge of violence on ourselves, when in reality we simply have to read the news briefs BEFORE the so called “provocations.” If you haven’t been keeping up, har habayit rioters have been carrying out their daily harassment and assault on non muslim visitors for months already. It has been and is status quo that non muslims MAY visit the temple mount, but these rioters and their inciters (Hamas and the Islamic Organization) have been making fair play impossible.
Recently, Abbas has woken up after Protective edge and realized that he is:
1. Losing popularity with the palestinian street
2. Losing power to Hamas
So now he tries to highlight the “israeli herd” (his words) that tries to visit as “zionist settlers coming to judaize al aksa” in order to be seen as the protector of the muslims worldwide. This is sort of what Jordan and Egypt do to various extents as we are seeing.
We jews have not done anything different. On the contrary, the arabs refuse to keep to the status quo, and are increasing violence. This has ramifications since violence that starts against police in the temple mount, spreads to rock throwing in east yerushalaim, then spreads to light rails being bashed out of service.
For us to think that this is a spontaneous anger as a result of our policies is sadly mistaken and delusional.
Remember the second intifada? Arafat laid blame at ariel sharons feet for visiting Har Habayit with 1000 police officers, but it was arafat who, as investigations have revealed, ordered fatah units to prepare for engagement against israelis. Same thing here. It’s all prepared by abbas as stated above, and the rioters/hamas activists are only too happy to comply with his and their own leadership’s encouragement (remember, abbas letting them carry out terror attacks means that the PA is not arresting them before they set out to carry an attack). Simple as that.
As for the MK’s walking on har habayit, lets face it, if they visited it a week, month, year later, the same uproar would have taken place. If the terror wouldn’t have happened now, it would have happened later.
By the way, if I may add the fact that it is the incitement being generated in the PA media, from Hamas leaders, etc. to riot against us that is giving a green light for these animals to do what they are doing. This happened before without any connection to the temple mount. example: this past august an avreich was killed by a terrorist in a bulldozer. This happened during protective edge, and no jews ascending temple mount stuff was going on.
Do you really believe that if Netanyahu were to forbid jews to enter har habayit right now that all the rock throwing and light rail smashing will stop? Have you short – term memory? Do you or do you not read the news? Do you know about the terror being perpetrated on jewish neighborhoods on the border of east yerushalaim? Before any of this happened, do you know that it was and is still a risk to drive through Har Hazeitim, Armon hanatziv, Silwan, French Hill, and Mount scopus? Rock throwing, firebombs and firecrackers, the occasional gunshots, rioting, etc.
Oh, I forgot. We are “judiazing” those neighborhoods. What bad jews we are, going ahead and antagonizing the law abiding residents of Shuafat and Bein Hanina and east yerushalaim.
If we just stop building homes and going on light rails, then they will stop hating us. Why have I heard this one before, albeit in different concession terms?
I understand that there is a peak not to go up and visit makom hamikdash. But lets understand that even if we were to bar any jewish, or non muslim visitors for that matter, the terror will not decrease.
There are poskim who permit ascending the Temple Mount and their talmidim are entitled to follow them on that.
And blaming the people who want to ascending the Temple Mount for the recent violence is outrageous! Do we blame the Fogel family for their own deaths because they lived in an illegal settlement? Place the blame where the blame belongs, on the Arab terrorists!
The making of excuses for the Arab terrorists will empower them to commit more acts of terror. They don’t want us just off the Temple Mount, they want us off the Land of Israel completely.