With America on the brink of electing a president that pledges to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, you might think there would be jubilation in the streets of Israel.
You might think Israelis with dual citizenship would be champing at the bit to vote for Donald Trump.
You might think American Jews, following insult after insult through condemnation after condemnation of Israel by an American president over the last eight years, would be ditching the Democrat presidential nominee, who has been an integral part of that that administration.
If you anticipated such reactions, you couldn't be more wrong.
In Israel, they still follow a suicidal political course, still hoping to divide their tiny strip of land with sworn enemies-to-the-death.
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To court favor with these ravening wolves – and even to provide them encouragement – the Israelis restrict Jewish worship in the Temple Mount, the holiest real estate in Judaism.
In addition, compounding a terrible mistake they made in 1967 in turning over administrative authority to Islamic religious zealots for that turf they won in a war at the expense of Jewish blood, they continue to allow themselves to be persecuted in their own land – treated like second-class citizens.
Israelis were shocked a few months ago when a UNESCO resolution referred to the Temple Mount area only as al-Aksa Mosque or al-Haram al Sharif.
To his credit, Prime Minister Netanyahu rebuked France for being among the 33 countries that supported the resolution.
"While we have no illusions as to the U.N.'s commitment to truth or decency," he wrote to French President Francois Hollande, "we were honestly astounded to see our French friends raise their hands in favor of this shameful resolution."
But why the surprise?
When Israel itself, as a matter of policy, allows Muslim radicals to control the holiest site in Judaism, frequently bans Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount and discourages Christians from visiting and praying there, why would any Israeli be shocked that the rest of the world sees this as Muslim land?
Freshman Knesset Member Yehuda Glick has repeatedly stated that "the [policy of] discrimination [against Jews] on the Temple Mount is obvious." Glick can no longer be brushed aside as a fanatic. In its Sept. 9 issue, the weekly Makor Rishon ran an article exposing Israel's de facto policy against Jews on the Temple Mount.
That's right, Israelis are discriminating against Jews on the Temple Mount. So why wouldn't the rest of the world go along with the charade?
For a long time now Israelis have been complaining bitterly about official discrimination evident in the severe restrictions on Jewish entrance and behavior on the Mount. Such was the case when two Jewish teenagers were recently charged with disturbing the peace by "bowing down" at Judaism's holiest site. Thankfully, the court acquitted the two, but the trial revealed how Israeli policemen have been trained to view the Temple Mount in a way very similar to the view of the United Nations agency.
Of the three policemen who testified against the teenagers, two were Arabs and one Jewish. Nevertheless, what they said in court reflects what they have been trained to say in police classrooms in Israel. In fact, it was the Jewish policeman who presented the most extreme view concerning the Temple Mount.
When asked if he thinks that Jewish prayers on the Mount are the equivalent of terror attacks, the Jewish policeman answered: "Yes." When asked if his job is to disturb Jews in the middle of their prayers, this policeman said: "It is saving lives more than disturbing prayer. They could have prayed outside the Temple Mount."
The Arab policemen also did not express their own personal beliefs, but that of the Israeli police. When asked whether the whole of the Temple Mount is a mosque, one of the two Arab policemen answered: "It is a mosque from every possible perspective." When asked "and you say this as a representative of the Israel Police," the Arab policeman's answer was: "Of course."
If this is the official Israeli stance regarding the Temple Mount, why should UNESCO be expected to contradict it?
One has to wonder how strongly Israelis feel about the importance of Jerusalem as their capital city.
And if Israelis don't care about these things, why should Jews living in America give it a second thought?
Apparently they don't.
It's not that Israel isn't making a strong case for its best interests and its sovereignty. It's more like Israelis are making the best case for their sworn enemies.
Media wishing to interview Joseph Farah, please contact [email protected].
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