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Israel - Lawyer Seeks Police Probe Into Removal, Publication of Obama's Kvitel Put in the Western Wall |
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Attorney Shahar Alon asked attorney General Menachem Mazuz to launch an investigation against the editor of Israeli daily Ma'ariv, who published the content of the note last week.
"By making the note public," Alon wrote to Mazuz, "the newspaper violated the law protecting holy sites, several clauses in the penal code and also infringed upon the basic rights of a person's honor and freedom."
Alongside his petition, Alon also initiated a boycott of the newspaper. In a letter he published, Alon called on all those who felt that the newspaper offended them by desecrating the holiness of the Western Wall, or felt that Obama had been personally disrespected, to refrain from purchasing the newspaper or cancel their subscriptions.
Alon said "if no one prevents people from opening notes written at the Western Wall, the wall will turn into a marketplace instead of a place for prayer. It is important the Ma'ariv understands that it violated the holy status of the Western Wall.
Every person has the right to write a note based on the knowledge that it won't be read by the public."
The boycott will be lifted," Alon went on to say, "after the newspaper publishes a notice, both in Hebrew and in English, apologizing for its lack of sensitivity and for its violation of Senator Obama's privacy and honor."
Ma'ariv issued a response Sunday, saying that "Obama's note was published in Ma'ariv and other international publications following Obama's authorization to make the content of the note public. Obama submitted a copy of the note to media outlets when he left his hotel in Jerusalem.
Moreover, since Obama is not Jewish, there is no violation of privacy as there would be for a Jewish person who places a note in the Western Wall."
U/D:
A student at a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem apologized today after admitting he and his friends stole a prayer note written by Barack Obama and inserted into the cracks of the Western Wall.
The student, in an appearance on Israeli TV2, said he got in touch with the television network seeking help in returning the note to its rightful place.
“I am asking for Obama’s forgiveness. If he was offended by it… of course he was, this is not a nice thing to do. Nobody meant to … it was sort of a prank. I hope he will forgive us, and we hope that he will win the presidency,” said the student, whose identity was obscured.
The boy claimed he was not the one who took the note out of the Wall, but he was the one in possession of it afterward. He said a bunch of friends were at the Wall, and he is not sure who took the note out. One of his friends said he found it on the floor. Another said he took it from the wall. Later on, they tried to sell it to an Israeli newspaper.
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Read Comments (9) — Post Yours »
1
Jul 27, 2008 at 01:44 PM Joseph Says:
Worth stressing:
“Obama’s note was published in Ma’ariv and other international publications following Obama’s authorization to make the content of the note public. Obama submitted a copy of the note to media outlets when he left his hotel in Jerusalem.
In short, it was a media ploy by Obama.
2
Jul 27, 2008 at 01:50 PM devorah hanaby Says:
I am disappointed by the lack of sensitivity and the breach of ethics in removing, reading and publicizing the personal prayer of anyone at the Kotel, However, I do not believe that an outsider
to the entourage of Obama, culd have gotten close enought to know exactly where his note was placed.
I think one of his aides did this to show where his thoughts are, and to show he respects and places great value in this Makom Kadosh.
3
Jul 27, 2008 at 01:51 PM Anonymous Says:
if this was a calculated media ploy by obama,why did the media play along? They shouild have reported; "We have received from Senator Obama's campaign a copy of the note that he inserted in a crevice of the Western Wall whuch reads as folows....."
4
Jul 27, 2008 at 03:10 PM anonymous Says:
Obamas whole trip was a publicity stunt. He is a worthless empty headed empty suit.
5
Jul 27, 2008 at 03:43 PM mir yerushalayim Says:
it was a calculated ploy by a yeshiva bochur lo alaynu. I hope god forgives him for the massive chillul he caused
6
Jul 27, 2008 at 09:09 PM Yehuda Says:
Why is it, if you are Jewish, taking the note is hurtful. The answer can only be because it is a prayer to God whose presence never left His House. Does the God of Israel not receive the prayers of a Gentile offered at his House? (Check out Yishaya 56,7) The aveira of taking the kvittel (a chillel Hashem) is compounded by the claim that he is a non-jew and his prayer isn't heard.
7
Jul 27, 2008 at 09:43 PM smart 1 Says:
this guy is yanking everyone he is one lie after another. nothing he days can be believed.
8
Jul 28, 2008 at 07:36 AM Anonymous Says:
"if this was a calculated media ploy by obama,why did the media play along? They shouild have reported; "We have received from Senator Obama's campaign a copy of the note that he inserted in a crevice of the Western Wall whuch reads as folows....."
ANSWER: Beacuse the media in Israel is as dyed-in-the-wool LIBERAL as the U.S news media is -- and Obama has both of them in his pocket, swooning all over him and gushing how wonderful and "historic" it would be for him to be elected, and how the world would supposedly "love" America again -- even though he has little real experience. All he's got going for him is the ability to spew out meaningless silver-tongued generalities about "change," and "hope" and "yes we can!" in a deep, mellifluous, Ted Baxter-like voice like some phony self-help guru or televangelist preacher.
9
Jul 28, 2008 at 12:16 PM Concerned Member Says:
The statement by Ma'ariv "Moreover, since Obama is not Jewish, there is no violation of privacy as there would be for a Jewish person who places a note in the Western Wall" is halachically without basis. But how much should we expect from Israel's media with regard to Halacha? What a Chillul HaShem.