If I Forget Thee O Jerusalem
Aussie Dave | Oct 16, 2007 | 5 comments
With Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert making it clear he is willing to divide Jerusalem, some things bear reminding.
Thanks to One Jerusalem, who also have set up an online petition for a unified Jerusalem.
- I support a unified Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, to ensure free and open access for all people to the holy sites of the three major religions – Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
- I support a unified Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, as an expression of the unique relationship between the Jewish People and its eternal capital.
- I support a unified Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, so as never to return to the dark period of 1947-67, when Arab control over an artificially divided Jerusalem meant religious persecution, desecration of holy sites, and wanton destruction.
- I support a unified Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, according to the current municipal boundaries, set in the wake of Israel’s defensive 1967 Six Day War.
- I support a unified Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, where Jews enjoy the right to pray on the Temple Mount, the holiest site in the Jewish world.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: Uncategorized
I signed it (even used my real name
Also signed the petition.
A quick question – “I support a unified Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, where Jews enjoy the right to pray on the Temple Mount, the holiest site in the Jewish world.” – Is this item about removing the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Temple Mount?
No
There is a Muslim claim that the Western Wall has nothing to do with the Second Temple and so Jews shouldn’t be allowed to pray there and I understand why that this claim should be countered by the Jewish faith.
I am also aware that the pre-messiah creation of the Third Temple is a fundamental belief of certain denominations within Judaism; a belief that requires the destruction of the current buildings on Temple Mount.
The Western Wall forms part of the Temple Mount, but isn’t the Temple Mount as a whole, and the plaza at the foot of the wall isn’t part of the Temple Mount at all.
The wording of the final item seems to be more along the line of the Third Temple now aspect, rather than a simple rebuttal of the no right of access to the Western Wall. I could be reading far to much into this? The final item to me is directly contradicting the third one.
I’m sure someone will explain why I’m wrong in thinking this. Could an explanation also be given on how shared Jewish and Muslim access to the Temple Mount compound could work in practice, thus allowing Jews to pray on the mount?
I would like to sign the petition, but don’t feel I can with the final items wording.