Netanyahu turns to Bible in tussle over Jerusalem

Reuters ^ | 05/12/2010 | Dan Williams

[beagleone]

BESET by questions about the future of Jerusalem in talks with the Palestinians, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin reached for the Bible on Wednesday to stake out the Jewish state's disputed claim on the city.

Netanyahu told a parliamentary session commemorating Israel's capture of East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 war that "Jerusalem" and its alternative Hebrew name "Zion" appear 850 times in the Old Testament, Judaism's core canon.

"As to how many times Jerusalem is mentioned in the holy scriptures of other faiths, I recommend you check," he said.

[beagleone]

Just telling it like it is...

[beagleone]

Here's the answer for the folks playing at home:

Heckled by a lawmaker from Israel's Arab minority, Netanyahu offered a lesson in comparative religion from the lectern.

"Because you asked: Jerusalem is mentioned 142 times in the New Testament, and none of the 16 various Arabic names for Jerusalem is mentioned in the Koran. But in an expanded interpretation of the Koran from the 12th century, one passage is said to refer to Jerusalem," he said.

[knarf]

NAILED!

You stinkin' ragheads.

[Pollster1]

Appealing to the facts? That’s racist!

[hoagy62]

And the final score:

The Lord G_d Jehovah-1

Stupid sand flea-0

[Jack Hydrazine]

Who’s yer rabbi, Bibi?

[concerned about politics]

BESET by questions about the future of Jerusalem in talks with the Palestinians,

It also warns: "Woe to those who go against my people Israel."

The God of Abraham was talking about Palestine, too.

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

When it comes to the facts, the stupid sand fleas don’t stand a chance!

[throwback]

Asked about Netanyahu's citations, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said: "I find it very distasteful this use of religion to incite hatred and fear."

LOL! Mr Erekat then had to run off to see the latest episode of Tomorrow's Pioneers; a Palestinian Mickey Mouse that teaches children about AK-47s and Jihad on behalf of the Islamist group Hamas.

[Castigar]

“Asked about Netanyahu’s citations, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said: “I find it very distasteful this use of religion to incite hatred and fear.”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[ClearCase_guy]

Maybe I'm hopelessly ignorant, but would Netanyahu really rely on "the Bible"? Would he specify "the Old Testament"?

I'm guessing that he made the point that Jerusalem is mentioned hundreds of times in the Torah. But maybe I'm assuming too much?

In the end, I don't think it really makes a difference, it just feels like sloppy reporting to me. But I could be wrong.

[TheVitaminPress]

It is funny, the history of ancient Israel cannot establish (in the minds of many) a Jewish claim for the city. But a story about a flying horse (named Buraq) traveling to the farthest mosque (that is merely assumed to be in Jerusalem) is rock solid evidence that they must their holiest city over.

[SeekAndFind]

But a story about a flying horse (named Buraq) traveling to the farthest mosque (that is merely assumed to be in Jerusalem) is rock solid evidence that they must their holiest city over.

How about the "Prophet" ( note the quotes ) Mohammad marrying a child-bride named Aisha and consumating the marriage her when she was STILL a child ? Is that a recognized historical fact by Muslims as recorded in the Hadith ?

[TheVitaminPress]

That is ok. However . . . (if it can be proved that he was anywhere near the area at the time) I think the Pope should probably have to go to jail because of it. </sarc>

[SeekAndFind]

Just for those interested in history and what Muslims say about marriage to children ( since this thread is about history )...

Here is what the Koran states Surah 65:4,5 :

4. And those of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the ‘Iddah (prescribed period), if you have doubts (about their periods), is three months, and for those who have no courses [(i.e. they are still immature) their ‘Iddah (prescribed period) is three months likewise, except in case of death] . And for those who are pregnant (whether they are divorced or their husbands are dead), their ‘Iddah (prescribed period) is until they deliver (their burdens), and whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him.

5. That is the Command of Allah, which He has sent down to you, and whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will remit his sins from him, and will enlarge his reward.

ISLAMIC SCHOLAR’s INTERPRETATION OF THE ABOVE SURAH’s:

---

Ibn Kathir writes regarding 65:4

“The `Iddah is made up of cleanliness and the menstrual period.” So he divorces her while it is clear that she is pregnant, or he does not due to having sex, or since he does not know if she is pregnant or not. This is why the scholars said that there are two types of divorce, one that conforms to the Sunnah and another innovated. The divorce that conforms to the Sunnah is one where the husband pronounces one divorce to his wife when she is not having her menses and without having had sexual intercourse with her after the menses ended. One could divorce his wife when it is clear that she is pregnant.

As for the innovated divorce, it occurs when one divorces his wife when she is having her menses, or after the menses ends, has sexual intercourse with her and then divorces her, even though he does not know if she became pregnant or not.

There is a third type of divorce, which is neither a Sunnah nor an innovation where one divorces A YOUNG WIFE WHO HAS NOT BEGUN TO HAVE MENSES, the wife who is beyond the age of having menses, and divorcing one’s wife before the marriage was consummated.

---

Al-Tabari said regarding 65:4

The interpretation of the verse “And those of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the ‘Iddah (prescribed period), if you have doubt (about their periods), is three months; and for those who have no courses [(i.e. they are still immature) their ‘Iddah (prescribed period) is three months likewise”.

He said: The same applies to the ‘idaah for girls who do not menstruate because they are too young, if their husbands divorce them after consummating the marriage with them.

Tafseer al-Tabari, 14/142 (Source: Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)

(Question #12708: Is it acceptable to marry a girl who has not yet started her menses?)

---

Regarding sex with prepubescent children, Abu-Ala’ Maududi states:

“Therefore, making mention of the waiting-period for girls who have not yet menstruated, clearly proves that it is not only permissible to give away the girl at this age but it is permissible for the husband to consummate marriage with her. Now, obviously no Muslim has the right to forbid a thing which the Qur’an has held as permissible.” (Maududi, volume 5, p. 620, note 13, emphasis added)

It seems the scholarly teachings are clear : Muslim men can engage in sex with prepubescent children!

[MississippiBulldogsFan]

Don’t know whether to laugh or cry at this remark from the article:

Asked about Netanyahu’s citations, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said: “I find it very distasteful this use of religion to incite hatred and fear.”

[Cinnamon Girl]

This is the Bibi Ping List.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to an event for Jerusalem Day at the The Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem, Wednesday, May 12, 2010. Jerusalem Day marks Israel's capture of east Jerusalem and the reunification of the city, which had been divided into Israeli and Jordanian sectors from Israel's establishment in 1948 until the 1967 war.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) speaks with a soldier during a military exercise at Elyakim military base near the northern city of Haifa May 11, 2010.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) observes a military exercise at Elyakim military base near the northern city of Haifa May 11, 2010.

UNSPECIFIED, ISRAEL - MAY 11: In this handout photo provided by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the IDF northern command on May 11, 2010 in Northern Israel. According to Israel's Prime Minister, Israel seeks peace in the region, and has no intentions to attack neighbours.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and army chief Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi observe a military exercise at Elyakim military base near the northern city of Haifa May 11, 2010.

[caww]

You knew it would make my day posting these wonderful photos of BiBi! tsk tsk

[444Flyer]

“Asked about Netanyahu’s citations, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said: “I find it very distasteful this use of religion to incite hatred and fear.”

Taking their talking points from Obama I can see.

[thulldud]

Maybe I'm hopelessly ignorant, but would Netanyahu really rely on "the Bible"? Would he specify "the Old Testament"?

Not hopeless at all, but ignorant, yes. This can be fixed, though.

In this context, "Bible" is definitely a reference to the Tanakh, which Christians call the Old Testament. Tanakh is a Hebrew TLA for "Law, Prophets, and Writings" (with the Hebrew initials, of course!).

If Bibi had meant to single out the Torah, he would have said so. But that would have meant only the first five books, and the later books have many more references to Jerusalem — no way he would leave them out.