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The Ramadan Escalation in Jerusalem

(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Amb. Dore Gold - There has been an effort by those who wish to promote violence to use the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as a war cry to mobilize people. But there's really no basis in Islamic theology for doing that. A number of years ago, the idea was put forward to put cameras on the Temple Mount to see who exactly is smuggling weapons into the Al-Aqsa Mosque. But both the Muslim religious Wakf and the Jordanians opposed this idea. When I visited Abu Dhabi I saw security cameras at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the most beautiful mosques in the Muslim world. Cameras have also been installed at the Great Mosque of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. But for some reason, they are not acceptable at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. If you go to Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, you will see people there of many different faiths. Israel, as a caretaker of the holy sites in Jerusalem, should follow the precedents around the world where there are religious sites that are free and open. While we have to respect Muslim religious sensitivities, at the same time, a place like the Temple Mount should be open for all faiths. I believe we can coexist. I have been having meetings with Muslim colleagues from the Arab world and we demonstrate understanding for each other. That's what we should be promoting. The writer is president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. This is from a podcast by the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute New Books Network on April 27, 2022.
2022-05-04 00:00:00
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