Friday, December 30, 2016

Kerry Demands "All Three" in Jerusalem

As Jordan announces officially (h/t=IMRA), its government via State Minister for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani, 


strongly condemned Israel for allowing settlers [are all Jews "settlers"?] to enter the courtyards of Al Aqsa Mosque-Haram Al Sharif in occupied East Jerusalem, saying it violates the sanctity of the mosque, and harms the feelings [what about Jewish feelings harmed by Muslim behavior and attitude?] of Muslims worldwide.

...the Jordanian Government, holds Israel, as an occupying power, responsible for any violations against Al Aqsa Mosque-Haram Al Sharif.  Momani, who is also the government spokesperson, said any attempt by Israelis to storm or enter the Haram Al Sharif compound, is illegal [like living in the Land of Israel?] and an aggressive act against Islamic holy places and the feelings of Muslims.
And

The minister also reaffirmed Jordan's stance on maintaining the status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque/Haram Al Sharif.

Actually, he was echoing John Kerry's remarks this past week:

...Principle four: Provide an agreed resolution for Jerusalem as the internationally recognized capital of the two states, and protect and assure freedom of access to the holy sites consistent with the established status quo.

Now, Jerusalem is the most sensitive issue for both sides, and the solution will have to meet the needs not only of the parties, but of all three monotheistic faiths. That is why the holy sites that are sacred to billions of people around the world must be protected and remain accessible and the established status quo maintained

Not only is that "status quo" discriminatory and basically a fiction, but Kerry inserted internationalization again, asserting that the solution to Jerusalem must meet the needs 

of all three monotheistic faiths

This is an invidious return to November 29, 1947 and to allow the Arabs, once again, to point to a basis of diplomacy that will enable them to wrench all of Jerusalem from Israel's sovereignty and to submit Judaism's religiously historical ties in the city and to the city and its sacred places to an equal footing to other religions.

It's a throwback to the 1928-1929 dispute in essence.

I hope Israel's diplomats and world Jewish  leadership pay careful attention to this sleight-of-words.

UPDATE

Consider this from 2010.

And this map.

On the idea of a 'holy zone, see here.

And here.

UPDATE

Some have noted to me that this is actually "old news".

While factually correct, the point is that:

a. some of us who know that history do not know that people under 30 simply do not.  it's new news to them. 

b. Jerusalem is a great wedge instrument on our behalf. speaking of "division", any "division", more (all the "East" from the "West") or less (only the Holy Basin) works to our advantage.

c. the point is that actually SC 2334 + Kerry's speech was a double division. 1st - east/west and 2nd - Holy Basin which becomes internationalized. once we can highlight subterfuge and sneak diplomacy, that is, SC saying one thing and US policy statement taking that and furthering the lessening of Israel's connection to, not to speak of administration of, Jerusalem gives us a leverage.


^



3 comments:

YMedad said...

Sent this:

That's why moving the Embassy to Jerusalem and abolishing the Consulate-General is so important. The end of the Consulate-General will signal the end of the State Department's anachronistic policy viewing Jerusalem as an internationalized city, corpus separatum...

NormanF said...

YM - The Americans got hoist on their own UN anti-Israeli resolution petard.

They failed to do their basic homework of ensuring American interests in the peace process where protected in that resolution.

No wonder the PLO rejected the Kerry parameters because they were an afterthought. Oops!

And there you have it as to why Israel has zero confidence in the out-going Administration's diplomatic prowess or rather the lack of it.

YMedad said...

From the press report:
"Attention then turned to the peace process in the Middle East, and hope was expressed that direct negotiations between the Parties may be resumed to bring an end to the violence that causes unacceptable suffering to civilian populations, and to find a just and lasting solution. To this end, it is hoped that, with the support of the international community, measures can be taken that favour mutual trust and contribute to creating a climate that permits courageous decisions to be made in favour of peace. Emphasis was placed on the importance of safeguarding the sanctity of the Holy Places for believers of all three of the Abrahamic religions."
http://en.radiovaticana.va/.../pope_francis_meets.../1285706