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Once, on a walk around the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, I had just come to the northeast corner, not so far from the famed Eastern Gate, when a commotion behind me caught my full attention.
Turning around, I saw two Palestinians out in the middle of the street, backing up traffic, as they argued aggressively about a near-accident. Slamming shoes on each other’s cars, the two had to be pulled apart by passersby and friends, yet still they shouted at each other. Eyes bulged. Veins pumped. Screaming. Shrieking.
I watched in total fascination. After several tense minutes, they got back in their vehicles and traffic started again.
The scene I’ve just described also describes our “negotiating partners” in the Middle East.
This week, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak announced that he wants more attention given to Mahmoud Abbas, the heir-apparent to the serial killer, Yasser Arafat. Mubarak wants to keep up the facade that Abbas can stand up to Hamas. In fact, Abbas himself is a Holocaust-denier! Hamas demands respect. Iran demands respect. We err if we underestimate the Arab mentality when it comes to “honor.” You cannot offend “Arab honor”.
The tight elections in Israel also are lamented by “Arab nations” who are said to be “concerned”. They are concerned that Israel will not cede all its territory to the Palestinians and then disappear.
There are unfortunately almost limitless examples of migraine-inducing problems Israel’s next prime minister will deal with.
Take Syria (please).
The country ruled by the dictator Bashar Assad — evidently a friend of Americans like Nancy Pelosi and Rick Warren — routinely publishes anti-Semitic filth in its media. Let me give you just one example of the insanity in this arena, and how this demonstrates clearly that negotiating with radical Muslim countries is folly.
In the Feb. 14, 2007 issue of the Syrian daily Tishreen, a cartoon is published which depicts a (nefarious, of course) Jew tunneling under the Dome of the Rock! With a pick!
My friends, the lies are not only outrageous, but they leave one almost speechless. Here’s the truth:
After the Israelis took control of Jerusalem in 1967, they immediately returned control of the Temple Mount (Haram Al-Sharif to the Muslims) to the Arabs. Ostensibly under Jordanian control, the site to this day is maintained by the Palestinian Wakf, or religious authority. There are all sorts of rules posted on the site for Westerners to adhere to, if one is fortunate enough to be able to visit.
For several years, the Palestinians have literally been burrowing under the Temple Mount. The so-called “Solomon’s Stables” are underneath; it is really a huge underground mosque, with support columns. The Palestinians have also hollowed-out the area directly behind the famed Eastern Gate, making a series of steps leading to the underground mosque. If you don’t believe all this, please let me know and I’ll share photos.
In the recent past, before Jordanian archaeologists intervened, a huge bulge in the southern wall of the Temple Mount threatened to spill huge stones on traffic passing by below. There were also serious concerns that the eastern side of the wall would buckle and collapse. All due to Arab tunneling underneath the Temple Mount, underneath the Dome of the Rock.
Do you see how massive the lie is, and how pervasive?
Let’s take it further.
Not only is the idea of a Jew tunneling underneath the Temple Mount ludicrous, the Arabs do not allow Jews or Christians to pray or read the Bible on the site. A few news reports have revealed that the Palestinians have dumped tons of soil from the site in the nearby Kidron Valley, in further attempts to sanitize archaeological evidence for the Bible.
My point in all this is, look at the trouble Bibi Netanyahu will have from day one, as he assumes the premiership in Israel. Who would want the job? He will deal with Hamas in the South, Hezbollah and Syria in the north, Iran in the east, Leftist media in his own country, traitorous Arab-Israeli citizens, American diplomacy (and, may I say, mendacity in the form of Barack Obama and his Middle East team), et cetera.
Folks, the Shoe-Bangers will never, ever accept reality and will never accept a Jewish presence in the Middle East. Those of us who are mocked for being Bible literalists are at least able to see that the Arabs genuinely want all of “Palestine” as a Palestinian state/terror base. Why can’t Barack Obama see it?
In fact, he does see it. He’s smart, informed, and privy to much more intelligence data than any of us will ever see. Obama is no more naïve about Middle East peace than Bill Clinton was. It was Clinton, after all, who admitted when he was out of office that Arafat scuttled any possible peace deal at Camp David in the last days of the Clinton administration.
The day I saw the Shoe-Bangers going at it in the middle of the street, I had toured the Temple Mount and surrounding area, and had seen the damage the Palestinians have done to it with my own eyes. I also saw very clearly that the notion of peace with these people is hopelessly tragic and flawed.
