A Hasid prays at the Western Wall
Photo: © Robert J. Avrech. All rights reserved.
Today is Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day.
I vividly remember when Jerusalem was cruelly divided by barbed wire.
After Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, the Jordanians annexed Judea and Samaria—hey, what a shock, not a peep from the so-called Palestinians—and, naturally, ethnically cleansed every Jew from the Old City.
The Jordanians ripped up the Jewish cemeteries and used the headstones as paving stones and steps in the streets.
Ancient and holy synagogues were converted into horse stables.
The area by the Western Wall was turned, literally, into a municipal garbage dump.
Jordanian soldiers were posted on the walls of the Old City, and with metronomic regularity, an Arab soldier would randomly shoot down a Jewish man, woman or child in the new city. Invariably, the Jordanians claimed that the soldier was, er, mentally unbalanced. The punishment was usually a juicy promotion. As you can imagine, there were many mentally unstable soldiers in the Jordanian army.
When the 1967 Six Day War broke out, Israel strongly advised Jordan not to get involved. They informed the Jordanians, quite truthfully, that the Egyptian and Syrian armies were being crushed. But the Egyptians and Syrians lied to Jordan and told them that the Jews were suffering terrible defeats on the battlefields. Further, unless Jordan wanted to share in the spoils of war, they had better launch an offensive.
Nasser was hoping to relieve some pressure on his broken forces by opening a third front.
The Jordanians attacked, bombarding the New City of Jerusalem with artillery. Israel defended herself, fighting vicious hand to hand combat—in order to minimize civilian casualties—thus driving out the Jordanians and retaking the Old City.
Jerusalem is now united and only a fool—or a Jew-hater—would hand over even partial control to the Muslims.
It’s funny, pre-1967, before Israel took control of the Old City, the only Arab head of state ever to visit Jerusalem was King Abdullah of Jordan in 1951. For his trouble, Abdullah was assassinated on the steps of the Al Aqsa Mosque by an Arab who accused the king of making peace with the Jewish state. Jerusalem was, until the Jews took control, of little or no interest to the Arab world.
It’s only when a unified Jerusalem came under Jewish control that the Arab world suddenly developed such an abiding love for Jerusalem.
Here’s are some short clips of the liberation of Jerusalem, 1967. Soldiers announce that they are in the Old City. Their CO signals back “Mazal Tov, Mazal Tov!” “The Temple Mount is in our hands.” “All honor to you.” Gen. Mordechai Gur’s paratroopers raise the Israeli flag, and sing the Hatikvah, the national anthem. Jewish soldiers weep as they touch the Western Wall. Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren carries a Torah into the Old City. General Dayan and his staff arrive. The shofar is blown signaling victory in battle and the joy in, once again, having access to holy Jewish land.
Another Jewish exile is ended.
But the battle for Jerusalem is not over.
If I Forget Thee O’ Jerusalem May My Right Hand Wither.
—Psalms 137:5
Meanwhile:
Four Muslims were arrested for attempting to carry out a terrorist attack against two synagogues in Riverdale, New York.
Here’s my favorite quote from the homegrown terrorists:
“They stated that they wanted to commit Jihad,” Kelly said. “They were disturbed about what happened in Afghanistan and Pakistan, that Muslims were being killed.”
So let me get this straight, the Islamists are, ahem, disturbed about Afghanistan and Pakistan, so the solution is: Kill Jews in New York.
In-ter-esting.
Ariel Chaim Avrech, ZT'L, May His Righteous Memory be a Blessing.
10 Comments
Hello – im a Canadian Christian.
I love Israel.
I love the Jewish people.
Please NO LAND for peace.
Israel forever!
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One other reason sounding the Shofar at the Kotel had so much meaning in 1967 was because this action was explicitly forbidden by the British Mandatory authorities.
Their official rationale was that the sounding of the Shofar would somehow offend Muslim sensitivities. Really, it was lack of empathy for Jewish ritual. (history is a funny thing though – fast forward to the Gulf Wars and the self imposed prohibition of fighting during Ramadan)
Thus, by sounding the Shofar, we were audibly showing our sovereignty over the reclaimed Jewish Holy Places and a united Jerusalem.
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Miranda:
Bush advocated two Democratic staqtes, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.
The two state solution has been official US policy for a long time. I remember back in the 1970′s it was assumed there would be land for peace. But living side by side in peace is key. Clinton was ready to give the palestinians almost everything they wanted with no guarantee of peace. When they launched the second intifada Bush was not about to reward them by forcing Israel into an agreement.
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GW:
No matter what Israel does the Muslim world will always be a blood thirsty enemy because it’s not just about Israel, it’s about Judaism.
I’m with you, Israel does herself no favor be exercising such restraint. But let’s hope that restraint will be thrown aside when it comes to denuking Iran.
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Do you think that if, in 1967, Israel decided to deconstuct the al Aska Mosque and sent it in boxes back to Saudi Arabia, that anything would be different today – other than that the Islamists of today who wish to destroy Israel would merely have one other propaganda tool in a bag overflowing with such tools?
I have never understood Israel’s restraint. For example, I do not understand today how Israel can continue to support Gaza with electricity and other necessities while being the target of rocket attacks. While it may give Israel the moral high ground, it is certainly doing nothing to combat the animals who only, it would seem, repond to force.
Oh well, another great post, Robert
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Dear Johnny: Bush advocated two Democratic staqtes, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.
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Regarding the Jordanian soldiers shooting from the walls of the Old City, unless they’ve torn the building down-they’ve done a WHOLE lot of building and renovating near the Old City since I first came to Israel 23 years ago-you look at the walls of Barclay’s Bank, at the end of Yaffa Road, you can see the bullet holes.
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Ken:
Bush got hammered because he basically told the palestinians that until they started acting like responsible adults he wasn’t going to listen to their whining. So the palestinians (with an assist from the liberals in this country and in Europe) stomped their feet, held their breath, broke their toys and colored on the walls in an attempt to get Bush to give them what they wanted.
Now Obama is ready to award them for their bad behavior. G_d help the Israeli people because Obama sure won’t.
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The enlightened in this country elected a “saviour” who will say and do anything to stay in power. He will propose that the Palestinian State (in the two state solution) have their capital in Jerusalem. The American press sold this slick individual to the American voter after an 8 year assault on the previous president. He got no credit but constant blame from the media, the press in effect were and are a type of “Quislings” who were and are willng to sell out this country and in doing so they will sell Obama’s plan as the only solution to the problem.
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Jerusalem is one issue both Jews and muslims can agree on. Neither side wants to see barbed wire split the city again. Of course we all know that muslims will turn Jerusalem into their version of Gaza. And of course the muslim connection to Jerusalem is non-existent compared the Jews. Never again should Jews be excluded from Jerusalem Samaria and Judea. Never again should the mistake of Gaza be repeated.
Unfortunately the “brains” in D.C. think that Jerusalem is just another issue that can be negotiated to achieve peace. If a few Jews have to move out to get Obama his first of many Nobel Peace Prizes then that’s the sacrifice they’ll have to make. After all, the approval of the Euroweenies is far more important to Obama than limiting another part of the world where Jews are not welcome.
1967 was a glorious year. When the IAF takes out another nuclear facility of the enemy it will make for another glorious year.
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