As the Israeli government is getting set to publish the tender for the work to convert the Me'arat Hamachpela to be accessible (ie ramps for the disabled, etc), politics is trying to get in the way.

Tisha B'Av is commemorated on Sunday, actually the Tenth of Av but with the Ninth landing on Shabbos this year we delay the commemoration of it to the 10th.

Srugim is reporting that the government has decided to close off all Jewish-access to the Mearat HaMachpela in Hebron on Sunday, Tisha B'Av. They are keeping Jews out because of a Muslim holiday, Eid Al Adha. Basically, in honor of their holiday, the Muslims will have access to the entire Mearat Hamachpela complex and the Jews will not be given any access at all.

The Meara Administration is calling on Jews to come anyway. I guess they want to try to force the hand of the authorities and not be able to turn away so many people. But this is besides the point.

No final decision has yet been made, but it seems Har Habayit is also expected to be closed to Jews and open only for Arabs, also because of the holiday.

In the past Tisha B'Av has been one of the busiest days of the year at both of these sites for Jewish visitors, with massive amounts of people showing up.

I get that the Arabs have a holiday and their day should be respected and they should be given the opportunity to pray and commemorate as they want and need to, but the Jews also have a holiday and their day, our day, should also be respected. Keep the same arrangements as always, with both Arabs and Jews allowed up, and have extra security to keep everyone safe and separate so people don't cause trouble. Or divide the day up by hours. Or split the complexes and allow Jews in one half and Arabs in the other. A reasonable solution could be found without too much difficulty.

Kikar is reporting that a group of Neturei Karta activists went into the old building of the Knesset Yisrael - Chevron Yeshiva in Hebron, with the cooperation and agreement of local Hebron [Palestinian] residents and, sort of, reopened the yeshiva.

They plan to learn there and even bring more yeshiva students in, for the summer semester and onward.

According to the article, the negotiations were handled secretly so Zionist forces would not thwart them. As well, there is mutual respect between them and their Palestinian neighbors and they look forward to living together in peace and tranquility as it was in the past before the Zionists came along and ruined everything.

Being that the Zionists were not the ones living in Hebron in 1929 and operating the Chevron Yeshiva associated with Slabodka, but the Zionists were already active in other parts of the country, there is no reason to think Zinonists being in other parts of the country now will effect any different of a reaction than the reaction "caused" by Zionists in other parts of the country in 1929.

As much as I don't like the Neturei Karta people, I hope ad pray they will not be slaughtered one day by their new neighbors, as had been done right there in the past, but that they will live in peace and tranquility among them. Expanding the Jewish enterprise in the Holy Land is a wonderful thing, even if it is not being done in the name of a Zionist government.

The executive board of UNESCO just passed 2 resolutions declaring that the Mearat Hamachpela in Hebron and Kever Rachel in Bethlehem are Palestinian sites and are integral parts of Occupied Palestine. In addition they express various condemnations of Israel in the resolutions. The resolution was passed within minutes of being raised, ensuring that a full discussion had been held arguing and presenting all the various facts and details and arguments from both sides of the issue.
source: JPost

This is not the first time UNESCO, or any part of the United Nations, has done this or things like it. It seems despite Nikki Haley's great work, there is still a lot more to be done, and hopefully whoever replaces her will continue in the same vein with a similar approach.

UNESCO says Hebron is a Palestinian heritage site. And, it is one "in danger".

I am surprised that any Israeli is surprised with this decision.

This is just another in a long string of UN votes against Israel, and even if you just limit it to UNESCO, it follows other similar UNESCO decisions to turn Israeli sites into Palestinian sites.

There is nothing new or unexpected in this decision, as stupid and dishonest as it is.

Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz posted online a statement about such UN decisions not affecting Jewish history and rights... and he posted a picture of himself davening in Mearat HaMachpela.


Something I found interesting about this is that Katz is a kohen and cannot go into grave sites. The thing is, Mearat HaMachpela is different. They have birkat kohanim, the priestly blessings, every day there, despite the fact that it is over the caves of graves. There are different opinions as to whether a kohen can go there or not - I personally know some who do go and some who do not. Those who do go refer to rabbonim who pasken that either the configuration of the building over the graves does not allow tumah to go up and enter the structure or that the tzaddikim buried there are not "metamei".

Mohammed Al-Mohtaseb has put together a race in Hebron. It seems he was not as ambitious as some others who respectively put together the Gaza and Bethlehem marathons, as the Hebron race is being billed as a Half Marathon.

And, by the way, different from those 2 other Palestinian races, I am told that Israelis can participate in the Hebron Half Marathon (I cannot yet confirm that - I asked the organizers but did not yet get an official answer).

The event sounds nice. Only one point is questionable.

Here is the description of the event:

A half Marathon in the ancient city of Hebron for the first time in history! 
Hebron (Al-Khalil)
The second oldest city in Palestine and largest in the West Bank. A home of around 700,000 Palestinians and many historical landmarks to different religions and cultures.
With a wealth of stunning architecture , it is the hub of west bank trade and responsible for a third of the area,s gross domestic product. 
This half marathon has been organised by our Palestinian youth in an attempt to raise awareness of the Political and cultural situation of Hebron. We strive to be different from other marathons by making it the largest ever tour of Hebron, taking in the all aspects of the city.
Our half marathon will be held on Friday 19th of may and commences at 9:00am. It is an 8km run which will take the runners from the northern entrance of the city(Ras ALjoura)and will finish at the friendship garden near the Ibrahimi Mosque.

Activities at the finish line will include

1: traditional meal
2: presentaion about Hebron
3: interculture meeting with Palestinians
4: market of Palestinian hand made goods

Tickets are available from Nidal Abu Mariah at the Habibi Hostel.
Contact : Nidal.BYH@gmail.com
Tel: +972599099089
Ticket prices are 75 nis for internationals and 25 nis for locals.
Included in this price a traditional meal after run, and a donation to poor families in the old city of Hebron.
Activities at the finish line will include 
1: traditional meal 2: presentaion about Hebron3: interculture meeting with Palestinians 4: market of Palestinian hand made goods
Tickets are available from Nidal Abu Mariah at the Habibi Hostel. Contact : Nidal.BYH@gmail.comTel: +972599099089Ticket prices are 75 nis for internationals and 25 nis for locals.Included in this price a traditional meal after run, and a donation to poor families in the old city of Hebron.

Sounds nice.

Only three times does the description of the event call it a "half marathon", and then once it explains "it is an 8km run".

Needless to explain, a half marathon is 21.1km and 8km is not quite a half marathon.

While most of the time I hear from people things like "I am running a marathon" when they are running a 5km or 10km race I just ignore it, understanding that people don't pay attention and are not aware that "marathon" does not just mean "race" but is actually a specific distance - this is different. An organizer of a race should know the difference and get his terms right.

A friend of mine saw this and pointed out that this fits perfectly with the general Palestinian style of stretching the truth, or outright lying - like their claims of having had a country in this land or like claiming to be on a hunger strike and then eating when nobody is looking.

Anyways, the event looks nice, my one point notwithstanding.  

Visit the birthplace of monotheism and the roots of Israel and the Jewish people - Hebron! In this video, you will view never-before-seen aerial footage of the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, hear exclusive testimony from one of the only living people to enter the actual Machpela Cave, and walk the same 4,500 year old steps that the biblical Abraham ascended himself. Come visit the place where it all began!

the Hebron part of the show is at about the 29 minutes mark. very interesting, though it could have shown more of the conversation that made him alter his perception of Hebron...

According to this report on Kooker, initially reported on Israel's Channel 2 News, the fellow who saved those five American tourists in Hebron from the potential lynching a few days ago, is now afraid for his life.

This fellow was brave and went against the sentiment in his neighborhood. He stood up to everyone around him and did the right thing and saved some poor helpless kids from a mob.

He deserves an award for that. He is a good and decent person. He is courageous and a hero.

And, unfortunately, he now fears for his life. He is receiving death threats.

When we first heard the part of the story (it was not initially reported and only came out a bit later) that someone had taken them in to save and protect them, we cynically joked that he will turn up dead within a week. I was actually hoping that after the fact the mob would calm and realize he did the right thing.

Unfortunately, that is the way it is over there. That is very sad. That somebody has to fear for his life for doing the right thing. For saving some innocent people from a lynching.

It also makes what he did all that more courageous, knowing he would be putting himself at risk.

#bringbackourboys