(Newsday) Sol Wachtler - The U.S. abstained from a UN vote that condemned Israel for its "occupation" in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The UN resolution legitimizes the Arab myth that Jews (and Christians) have no historical connection to the Holy Land, and that the 430,000 Israelis living in the West Bank and the 200,000 Israelis living in east Jerusalem are illegal occupiers. The Palestinians claim that Jews are mere "occupiers" and not legitimate inhabitants of the territory. However, what is referred to as the "occupied territory" is land that was historically occupied by Jews since biblical times. Going back to the first census taken in 1820, Jews always constituted a majority of the population in Jerusalem. The Old City of Jerusalem houses the Western Wall - a remnant of King Solomon's Temple sacred to the Jews. The Palestinians are now armed with a UN resolution that brands Israel an outlaw for living and worshipping in a land that has always been its ancestral home. The writer, a former chief judge of New York State, is distinguished adjunct professor at Touro Law School.
2016-12-30 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive