Dec 31, 2013

Excuse me, where is the Kotel?

MK Taleb Abu-Arar (Ram Tal) gave a funny interview. Funny or sad, your choice. I choose funny.

I present to you the interview, from NRG:

We call the entire Har Habayit "Al Aksa". The place is holy to Muslims all over the world. This includes the entire plaza - all 144 dunam - and not just the building itself. Every centimeter of the ocmplex is holy with the holiness of Al Aksa.

Q: You did not hear that the Jews have prayed for two thousand years to return and rebuild the Temple?
A: We respect the holy places of all religions, but Al Aksa is holy only to Muslims - not Jews or anyone else. Also great rabbis of the jews say the real place of the Kotel is not known. According to what I have read, the rabbis are waiting for Mashiach to show them where the Kotel is.

Q: The Kotel or the Mikdash?
A: The Kotel. This is what I have heard. It is somewhere else. Not by Al Aksa.

Q: The entire area, Har Habayit, is traditionally called in Islam "Haram A-Sharif". When did the entire area become Al Aksa?
A: With all due respect to other names, this is what it is called in the Koran.

Q:But we dont know where Al Aksa is. In the Koran it does not say that it is in Jerusalem or even in the Land of Israel?
A: Who told you this? This is a lie. They are trying to confuse you. Al Aksa is in Jerusalem, on the area of 144 dunam. All attempts by Jews or Christians to change that are baseless.

Q: What should be done for Jews who want to pray on Har Habayit?
A: There is no place to pray there. We spoke about it in the Vaadat Hapnim. Someone who even just requests to daven there is just looking for provocations, is bringing the entire region to instability.

Q: in a democratic country you can tell someone not to pray?
A: I am in favor of everyone praying in the places holy to them. But this place is holy only to Muslims.

Q: So where is the holy place for the Jews?
A: I dont know. Ask them. Why are you asking me?

So, he respects everyone's holy place, and the Jews determine their own holy places, but when they say what those holy places are, he doesnt respect that...

It seems clear that he is mixing up the Kotel and the place of the Kodesh Kadashim. Many rabbis opposed to Jews going up to Har Habayit say it is because of uncertainty of the exact location of the Holy of Holies. But he rejects that and insists it is the true location of the Kotel that is unknown.

When they ask for directions, " excuse me, where is the Kotel?", the answer should really be, "I dont know".



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1 comment:

  1. The Arabs do not differentiate between the west bank and within the green line. It is also illegal Israeli territory. This guy plays the media very well. Show that you are convinced of your position and just plainly deny the other side.

    ReplyDelete