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| Week ending Saturday, October 29, 2005 |
26 Tishrei, 5766 |
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Temple Mount Faithful Receive Government Permission:
A government ruling was issued allowing members of the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement to ascend and pray on the Temple Mount during the eight days of Sukkot (feast of booths). The Waqf (Islamic), which currently controls the site, has always objected to any prayer at the site that would be offered to any other God than "Allah". Although Israel took possession of the Temple Mount during the six day war in 1967, General Moshe Dayan returned control of the mount to the Waqf in the hope for long lasting peace. Israeli politicians, unwilling to risk Islamic violence, have gone along with the Waqf's dictates. The Temple Mount Faithful petitioned the Court prior to the holiday, seeking permission to conduct a "cornerstone lying" ceremony (for the third temple). The Court granted permission for the group to ascend the mountain for a limited time, but only in such a way that would not clash with the Moslem celebration of Ramadan. Initially, the ruling specified that the Jews could pray there. The "mistake" was noticed very shortly after issuance. Government representatives asked Deputy Chief Justice Mishael Heshin to replace the word "prayer" with the word "ascent." Therefore, instead of reading, "...enable Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount," the ruling now states, "...enable Jewish ascent to the Temple Mount." Further on in the ruling, the words, "permission to the Jews to pray on the Temple Mount" was replaced by "permission to the Jews to ascend to the Temple Mount." Temple Mount Faithful representative Yehuda Etzion said, "It was clear from the beginning that it was a mistake. We never thought for a moment that they meant to permit us to pray at our holiest site."
Editor's note: Is that not an Oxymoron?
Gaza Evacuees Still Celebrate Sukkot:
Sunday evening, a joyous holiday celebration was held in the Jerusalem Conference Center. Most visibly noticed participants included hundreds of Gush Katif expellees (for the vast majority of whom the Sukkah booth is just another temporary home) and leading rabbis. Among the teachers were former Chief Rabbi Avraham Shapira and Rabbis Dov Lior, Zalman Baruch Melamed, Yitzchak Ginzberg, Elyakim Levanon. Top-quality Hassidic musicians performed as well. Organizers of the event said in a written statement, "We will gather together for festival joy - all of us who love the Nation and Land and who are loyal to Torah authority, with the heroic expellees of Gush Katif and the Shomron, for an evening of uplifting of spirit, of amassing strength, and of renewal, to reinforce our grasp and stronghold on our Holy Land, as we stand tall with confidence in our path." Throughout the week many other celebrations were held and included the expelled residents of Atzmonah living in the Ir HaEmunah (City of Faith), homeless former residents of Moshav Katif, many of whom have begun to move into Faith City. In Pnei Kedem, south of Gush Etzion and near Meitzad, the 2nd Annual Kite Festival was also held Sunday. Activities included kite building and a grand flying expo, creative workshops, jumping castles, carnival games, pony rides, bongo lessons, pita baking, crafts fair, reflexology, massage, a variey of food stands with ample Sukkot, live entertainment and music, and a kite contest with prizes.
IDF Kills Leading Terrorist:
The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) announced Monday morning that they had killed Louie Sa’adi, a senior Islamic Jihad member in Judea and Samaria, Sunday evening in Tul Karem. "Palestinian" sources denied his demise and claimed that Sa'adi was alive and well but soldiers found a body, which they positively identified as the wanted terrorist. Objects found with the body included a Kalashnikov, handgun, magazine clips, and an explosive device. The IDF unit entered Tul Karem intending to make a number of arrests aimed at the terror infrastructure of the Islamic Jihad. While carrying out their mission, an armed "Palestinian" opened fire. One soldier was lightly injured. IDF soldiers returned fire, killing the gunman who was a senior Fatah member. Shots were also fired from an alleyway. Again IDF soldiers returned fire, killing a second gunman.
Sa'adi was responsible for a recent succession of murderous terror attacks, and he was working to carry out further attacks within Israel. He was arrested in 1999, but released in January 2004 as part of the Tenenbaum deal with Hizbulla. Among many others, Sa'adi was responsible for the suicide bomb attack on the Stage club in Tel Aviv last February, where five Israeli civilians were murdered and many others injured. Also, the suicide bomb attack by the Sharon Shopping Center in Netanya, in which five Israelis were murdered and dozens were injured, the attempted terror attack in Shevi Sharon, and the attempted car bomb attack near the settlement of Mavo Dotan.
Youth Building New Neighborhoods:
An initiative by hundreds of youth from around Israel began Wednesday for the construction of new neighborhoods in Efrat, Kedumim, Elon Moreh, Kiryat Arba and Maon. The motto of the new initiative is "Expansion in Place of Destruction." In a released announcement the group stated, "In the past months we were witness to the terrible crime of the ripping out of parts of our holy and beloved Land, the expulsion of Jews from their homes, the uprooting of graves and the abandonment of synagogues to Arab murderers. We saw with our own eyes that which is called the 'leadership of the state' abandoning our inheritance. As youth that grew up on love of the Land, and who realize that without the Land of Israel there is no blessing and the Divine Presence has no place to rest, we ask: What's next? Our answer is that specifically now, we will replace destruction with expansion; we will replace retreat with going out and holding on to our land."
Many of the youth involved in the program were among those who gave up their summer vacations to fight the disengagement. The Land of Israel Youth organization was recently founded in Kiryat Arba, and just last week conducted a march of some 700 youth in the Shomron. Rachel, one of the leaders of the youth organization, identified that the location that was chosen for rebuilding in her area is known as Heroes Hill, between Hevron and Kiryat Arba. An outpost was established there three years ago after a terrorist ambush occurred nearby. Twelve civilians and soldiers were killed in that attack. IDF soldiers tore the site down, and residents built it up again. This cycle repeated itself many times since then. On Wednesday morning, some 60 Land of Israel Youths brought a new aluminum shack to the hill, with the hope to rebuild the neighborhood again, and for the last time. "We believe in building up new neighborhoods in the Land of Israel," Rachel said. "We can't merely settle for sneaking in another caravan here and another one there. We have to build openly and proudly."
Israel Demands Iran be Removed from the UN:
In a speech given Wednesday to a conference IN Teheran entitled "A World without Zionism," Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (pictured left) declared, "Israel must be wiped off the map." "The creation of the occupying regime in Jerusalem is a strong action by the ruling arrogant world order against the world of Islam. There continues a historic war between the [powers of] World Arrogance and the Islamic world, the roots of which go back hundreds of years." "The Islamic nation will not allow its historic enemy to exist in its heartland." He also stated, "I have no doubt that the new wave [of attacks] which has started in dear Palestine and which we witness today all over the Islamic world will soon wipe this scourge of shame from the Islamic world. This is doable."
In response, Danny Gillerman (pictured right), Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, demanded that the United Nations remove Iran from the organization completely. Gillerman went on to say, "It is unacceptable that the leader of a state member of the U.N. advocates genocide. In a written statement, Shimon Peres declared, "This call goes against the U.N.'s treaty and constitutes a crime against humanity." "The words of the Iranian president are especially severe in light of Iran's attempts to develop nuclear arms and obtain long-range missiles. Israel must unequivocally demand of the U.N. and the security Council that Iran be removed from the organization." FM Shalom said that Iran is a serious threat not only to Israel but also to the entire world, something President Bush has also been saying for quite some time.
Renewed Terror Resulting from Disengagement:
On Wednesday, Israel's political right blamed the Hadera suicide bombing on the withdrawal from Gaza. "Hadera residents are paying the price of the flight from Gush Katif," said National Religious Party chair MK Zevulun Orlev, "and Israeli citizens are reaping in blood the seeds of violence sown by the disengagement." Orlev said that the government orchestrated retreat from Gush Katif gave the terrorists a shot in the arm, and that the Israeli government is magnifying its error by putting trust in "Palestinian" Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his cohorts, rather than leading an uncompromising battle against terror. MK Effi Eitam (National Union) said that the disengagement had provided new life to the terror organizations and brought the terrorists back into the heart of Israeli cities, just as the Oslo Accords brought about hundreds of killed and wounded after a lull.
Terror Response:
Thursday afternoon, the IDF began a "limited maneuver" in the PA-controlled terrorist-haven city of Jenin (northern Samaria) in response to the murderous terror attack in Hadera. On-the-ground offensives in Gaza are also expected as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stated: "We won't accept terrorism." At least one terrorist leader was arrested amidst scattered gunfire. A report stated that two Israeli Air Force helicopters were seen overhead as 40 jeeps and tanks entered the city. Wednesday's murderous attack in Hadera killed five and wounded 28 others. Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz and IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Dan Halutz resolved to wage comprehensive war - by the army, police, and General Security Service - against the terrorist infrastructures in Samaria.
Jerusalem Post Plans a Christian Edition:
The Jerusalem Post is seeking to strongly increase its North American circulation by building on the strengthening relationship between Christian "fundamentalists" and the Israeli right. Post editor David Horowitz identified that article content will be jointly written by the Jerusalem Post and the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ). "It'll be things like archaeology and tourism and ideological arguments and dilemmas and so on. Obviously, when your predominant mindset is a Jewish audience there are different stresses that go into providing content, whereas if you're doing it for a Christian audience, there are going to be very different emphases and different focuses."
Preempting the criticism he and his paper can be expected to face for working with a Christian evangelical organization, Horowitz said, "The International Christian Embassy has been operating in Israel for many years and [is] very aware of the framework. There are laws in Israel against giving inducement to people to convert, and that organization has operated within the framework to the satisfaction of the Israeli government. That is actually very important to me."
Vice Chairman of Israel's Media Watch Yisrael Medad said, "While there is no reason for a paper to seek specialized audiences, one would think that the Russian population in Israel would be one target audience that an Israeli newspaper would be interested in before going abroad. Obviously, the financial aspects of this development override the responsibilities of a newspaper to its own community." The ICEJ was unavailable for comment since its offices are closed for the holiday of Sukkot.
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