Israel – Netanyahu Turns to The Torah In Tussle Over Jerusalem

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    View of Jerusalm from Mt OlivesIsrael – 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.

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    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.

    Citing such ancestry, Israel calls all of Jerusalem its “indivisible” capital — a designation not recognised abroad, where many powers support Palestinian claims to East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

    Destroyed as a Jewish capital by the Romans in the 1st century AD, Jerusalem was a Christian city under their Byzantine successors before falling to Muslim Arabs in the 7th. European Crusaders took it back for a century before 700 years of Muslim control until Britain defeated the Ottoman Turks in 1917.

    As Britain prepared to quit, the United Nations proposed international rule for the city in 1947 as a “corpus separatum.” That proposal was overtaken by fighting that left Israel holding West Jerusalem in 1948 and Jordanian forces in East Jerusalem. Israel then took the rest in the Six Day War of 1967.

    The city, within boundaries defined by Israel but not recognized internationally, is now home to 750,000 people, two in three of them Jews and the rest mostly Muslim Palestinians.

    Jerusalem is also revered by Muslims around the world because it houses al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third-holiest shrine after Mecca and Medina, on a plaza that Jews revere as the vestige of two biblical Jewish temples.

    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 menioned 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.

    Netanyahu did not refer in his speech to indirect peace negotiations with the Palestinians that resumed this month after 1 1/2 years of U.S. mediation. But he said Israel would retain all of Jerusalem while ensuring freedom of worship at its sites.

    Such assertions are challenged by Palestinians given that Israel, over the last decade of fighting, has often banned their access to al-Aqsa. Christians in the adjacent West Bank complain of similar difficulties in reaching Jerusalem churches. “There is no undercutting, nor do I intend to undercut, the connection of others to Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said.

    “But I do confront the attempt to undercut and warp or obfuscate the unique connection that we, the people of Israel, have to the capital of Israel.”


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    58 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    The Torah Its forbidin to end the exile and establish a army until hashem redeems us.
    Untill then we are required to remain under the rule of the nations of the world,
    Hashem has warned us that if we transgress this injunction, He will bring upon us (god 4bid. may we be spared) terrible punishment.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Does Nethanyahu know that the Torah says that you should keep Shabbos, etc etc etc

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Way to go Bibi. Its about time to set the record straight. Udvar Hashem Meyerushalayim.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    While probably every yid agrees that Yerushalayim is the eternal capital of EY going back to the days of Moishe Rabenu, we also have to accept the reality that the most of the rest of the world (aside from the Christian evangelical types whose agenda for yidden is suspect) do not view the geography issue as a settled matter. We have to find some political accomodation on the broader set of issues with the palestinians before we will ever have shalom al yerushalayim.

    FOCUS
    FOCUS
    13 years ago

    there are 613 mitzvos which netanyahu ignores and now he quotes the torah. what a hypoocrit!

    Sarcastic
    Sarcastic
    13 years ago

    This is the reason they never learn Navi in Satmar. One can come to dangerous conclusions.

    Askupeh
    Askupeh
    13 years ago

    This article fails to mention that the United Nations partitioned Eretz Yisroel, and Israel accepted it but the Arabs (there were no “Palestinians” yet) rejected it, they wanted all of it, or rather wanted even more that the Jews shouldn’t have any of it.
    Bravo Netanyahu for stating it like it is. You remind me when Abba Eban in 1948 was challenged in the United Nations to show the Jewish people’s rights to Eretz Yisroel, he took out a Bible and said: this is our legal document to Eretz Yisroel.

    If you’re reading this let me give you some advice. On the next occasion that you are challenged on Yerushalayim, have on you a Bar Kochba Shekel with the Hebrew words engraved on it “Legeulas Yisroel” and Lecheirus Yerushalayim” (to the redemption of Israel and to the freedom of Yerushalayim), show it and turn the tables on them by asking: 1) are the Arabs “Yisroel”? 2) For whom was Yerushalayim freed, for the Arabs, or for the Jews?

    It’s sad that we Jews remain on the defensive whenever we are confronted by revisionists of history. It’s time that we go on the offensive and show the truth even ad nauseum, only then might we make a dent. Let’s call their bluff, once and for all.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    he gave the speatch before the pork sandwitch or after. even my spanish worker was laffing his hed off even he understood what a joke

    yeedle
    yeedle
    13 years ago

    What great news it is to here that Bibi is about to become the first PM of the state to observe the commandments of the holy torah! How weird it is that it isn’t being posted only regarding some silly statement about Jerusalem…

    Askupeh (part 1)
    Askupeh (part 1)
    13 years ago

    No wonder Moshiach has not come yet; because if he did today, the Eirav Rav with Shtreimel and Beketchas would say: “go home, we prefer the Arabs over you”. No, I am not saying this in jest, but I’m dead earnest. We Jews Nebech don’t want Moshiach. We would rather wallow in stupidity (comment #’s 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 13) and take a suicide approach, then confront reality (comment #14 ). Yes, there is no turning back; the Arabs are going to kill you regardless if you were for the establishment of the State of Israel or you were against. To them we are all the same. When will you stupid brothers understand that we are all on the same boat, and if it sinks, all of us will G-d forbid drown.

    Askupeh (part 2)
    Askupeh (part 2)
    13 years ago

    Morei Verabosei, in theory and theologically I too was/am (wasn’t born yet in 1948!) against the establishment of the State of Israel, but this is neither here nor there. The Satmarer Rebbe ZT”L prayed that Medinas Yisroel ONLY be replaced with Rachmim Vechasodim by Moshiach Tzidkeinu. He called the Arabs “ROTZCHIM” (look it up please). The people who claim to go in his footsteps created a “Natrina”, which is the Neturei Karta in disguise, Der Zelba Yenta Andersh Geshleiyert. Ironically, it will be the Treifina internet which will bring most of our idiots to their senses, but Ribboinoi Shel Oilom how much longer do we still have to wait?

    Paskunyak
    Paskunyak
    13 years ago

    If only Netanyahu would say “G-d gave us this land!” Dayenu.
    If only Netanyahu would believe that Hashem is the architecht of the universe
    and the Torah is his plan. Dayenu.
    If only Netanyahu would realize that the Torah was given to us by Hashem through Moshe Rabeinu’s hand. [not man made like all other religions] Dayenu.
    If only……..

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Does Nethanyahu know how many times it’s in the Torah to keep Shabbos, not to Mechalel Shabbos, Not to Eat Treif, to keep kosher Family

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Interesting that the Reuter’s columnist was able to use the correct title of the Muslim holy book, but instead of Torah he used “Old Testament”.

    Obamanation
    Obamanation
    13 years ago

    to all the Bibi nockers, can some one show me where in the torah it says that if you dont keep part of the torah you shouldn’t keep none of it and not beleave in it at all ??? and to #5 do you know for a fact that he does’nt keep 613 mitzvois, i know for a fact that he keeps alot of it!!!

    Living in the holy land
    Living in the holy land
    13 years ago

    Hey my dear brothers, let’s cut the fight and hate. A. Yes it might be true that the holy city belonges to us because of the bible, but it’s still ironic that this statement came from a jew that does not practice anything else that says there. B. Most gedolim held that we have no authority to create a state, but for heaven’s sake, who doesn’t want moshiach?! Let’s stop this nonsense and hate that repeats itself every day on this same subject!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    As I was saying hallel this morning with a bracha in my shul and wondering how so many of my brothers could not see the hand of g-d working in our times it made sad on this joyous day. It will all will work out when the hate between us stops. Until then do the best you can and don’t worry so much about what i do

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Don’t u think its silly that there probably isn’t one jew who keeps 613 mitzvos yet everyone knows its best to don’t u think its silly that the ppl who don’t keep 613 mitzvos hate someone for at least keeping one and what’s so bad about a jew living in isreal keeping at least one in a very proud way

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Who are we to judge another persons on how he or she practices their faith. Understand that jersulam is jewish land and is not arab land. It was named plastine by the romans not arabs.to change the area and give the arabs wat is ours is wrong and suicidle

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    To everyone bashing Netanyahu’s observance, he has 2 FRUM children. Say what you will about him, but he must have done something right with them.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    to all the faithful keepers of 613 mitzvos, where does it say we need to be police on how others keep the 613 mitzvos?????????

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I wonder if all the people making negative comments keep all the 613 mitzvot themselves;hilchot lashen hara covers several mitzvot asseh and lo tasseh.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Netanyahu has an I. Q. Of 180