Posted on 03/18/2010 12:01:27 PM PDT by anotherview
Would Muslims surrender Mecca? Should Catholics give up the Vatican? These may seem like ridiculous questions. The answer to both by any sane person would be "of course not." Why on earth would the answer to "Would Jews ever surrender Jerusalem?" be any different? The answer is simple. It shouldn't.
With the exception of a seven year period in the sixth century when the Persians restored Jewish sovereignty, the Jewish people were denied a homeland from 70 C.E. until 1948. During that time the Jewish people suffered pogroms, expulsions, mass murder, persecution, and assorted other forms of denial of basic human rights. Throughout that time the Jewish people prayed for one thing consistently: "Next year in Jerusalem." It's part of the Passover seder, the ceremonial feast, which the world's Jewish population will celebrate in two weeks time.
Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem, is a Zionist prayer in song, a prayer for a Jewish home in the land of Zion and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is stressed and is in the refrain, the only part of the anthem which is repeated. Here is a translation of the lyrics:
As long as in the heart, within,These words, taken from a poem and set to music in 1888, are the essence of Zionism. More, they are the essence of Jewish national and cultural identity.
A Jewish soul still yearns,
And onward, towards the ends of the east,
An eye still gazes toward Zion;
Our hope is not yet lost,
The hope of two thousand years,
To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
In recent days some have said that Prime Minister Netanyahu, and indeed the nation of Israel as a whole, will eventually have to make a choice between concessions which amount to surrendering sovereignty over much of Jerusalem or the friendship between Israel and the United States. Actually, that is no choice at all. Jews simply will not surrender sovereignty over Jerusalem. Those, particularly in the United States, who argue that we should include Jews who have somehow become divorced from their traditions, culture, their very identity as Jews. If we have to say goodbye to those people and say goodbye to support from the White House then that is what we will do.
Notice that I have made this argument without even once referring to Jewish and Christian religious beliefs. Of course it is religion which makes Jerusalem holy to Jews, just as Mecca is holy to Muslims and the Vatican is holy to Catholics. These beliefs, which the majority of Americans happen to share, are also being challenged by the White House. That has never been a recipe for much political support.
During Israel's 1948-49 War of Independence my father fought to lift the siege of Jerusalem. To him a Jewish state and the city of Jerusalem was worth fighting for. I can't say my views are any different. Israel survived against what seemed like impossible odds without any American help then. If need be it will do so again.
Anyone who insists that Israel should offer sovereignty as a concession prior to any negotiations for peace, with nothing in return, is asking Israel to surrender. What is the point of a Jewish state if not to maintain Jewish identity and hold on to what is precious to the Jewish people? Anyone who demands such a thing is no friend of Israel or the Jewish people, even if they can claim to be Jewish by birth. Oh, and yes, that includes the Obama Administration and anyone within the administration who insists that Israel not build in Ramat Shlomo or anywhere else in our holy city and capital.
You are real good at distorting facts and name-calling, aren’t you? Who’s the bigot? :-)
Please.
Your criteria was ‘who started it’.
But apparently that didn't work out too well as Israel was invaded by five neighbors in 1948. And it was the USA that sent troops and declared war against Mexico and invaded them.
So now your criteria is ‘they changed the name’.
The FACT is that, contrary to your ignorant assertion, Israel, as a nation, HAD existed before in that location.
When Israel was defeated and their people dispersed, was the land “stolen” from them THEN?
If it was previously “stolen”, can them taking back what was previously stolen from them truly be considered theft?
And by your shifting criteria looking for any far fetched justification, lies about Israel starting the war in 1948, I would say that it is you who are the bigot.
What exactly are you suggesting I am bigoted against? Bigotry?
I took the liberty of reading some of your other posts on other threads.
You are confrontational, argumentative, antagonistic and angry in just about every post and you always, ALWAYS have to be right. Give it a rest.
What makes you so angry?
I have come to the conclusion that you are a dim troll. LOL
I am not angry.
You cannot argue facts so you attack me.
It has been your consistent pattern.
A rather shoddy tactic.
And it doesn't distract from the travesty of shallow bigotry without coherent rhyme or reason that your argument about nations “stealing” land has been.
Keep raving on dim troll.
You name-call then say that I am attacking?
Man, you ARE a dim troll!
ROFL
Caught with shifting and inapplicable criteria as to why Israel “steals” land, but apparently no other nation ever has, caught in lies about your playgroundish “who started it” criteria; apparently your posting has degenerated into personal attacks, and nothing else.
You are a dim troll and a bigot.
What were you suggesting I was bigoted against? Ignorant lying bigots?
dim troll :-)
But there is really no excuse for being so dim or so trollish and so unreasonably and incoherently antisemitic.
dim troll :-)
What a dim troll and a bigot you are.
What a weak defense of the “they started it” rationalization.
What historic and Biblical ignorance to suggest that Israel was never before a nation.
What a bizarre justification that it was “stealing” because they changed the name.
Now, routed as you continually retreat over ever shifting terrain, all you can do is hurl insults.
You must really be consumed with anger.
I find you amusing.
dim troll :-)
I hope you find this as amusing as I do.
By all means lets keep bumping this thread so all FR can see what an ignorant antisemite you are.
BTT. :)
ROFL dim troll
BTT for everyone to see the antisemite dim troll!
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