[rebdov]

You should be attacking the bigotry of the Muslims.Is it prudent for them to deny the Jews rights? Don't Muslims have an equal responsibility to restrain themselves from violence. The Jews aren't doing anything violent, why should the Muslims be given a free pass to act like barbarians by Phil? You are not condemning the bigotry of the Arabs, so I must conclude that you hate the Jews.

[veronica]

Israel Halts Mosque Construction

Mar. 3, 2002 | Associated Press

'J E R U S A L E M, March 3 — Israel announced a permanent halt Sunday on construction of a large mosque next to the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, drawing strong condemnation from Muslims in the biblical town. The Islamic Movement in Nazareth, the group that wants to build the mosque, accused Christian leaders abroad of meddling in a local affair and said it would not abandon its plans.

"We totally reject this decision, we are going to stay in our holy land until we finish building the mosque," said Salman Abu Ahmed, the group's leader. The issue has raised tensions in Israel's largest Arab city since 1998, when Muslims received government permission to build a mosque on a lot adjacent to the basilica where they say a sheikh was buried.

Christian leaders have said that building a mosque so close to the Basilica the largest in the Middle East and the site where tradition says the Angel Gabriel foretold Jesus' birth would be disrespectful. Pope John Paul II threatened to cancel a visit in 2000 over the issue, and President Bush raised the subject with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during a meeting last year.

The foundation of the mosque has been set, but the building permits have never been issued. Israel has proposed alternate sites, which Muslims in Nazareth have rejected. Natan Sharansky, the Israeli Cabinet minister in charge of a committee the government set up last month to resolve the dispute, announced Sunday that construction of the mosque would be halted for good.'

Israel protects the Holy Land.

[Phil V.]

You should be attacking the bigotry of the Muslims. . . You are not condemning the bigotry of the Arabs, so I must conclude that you hate the Jews.

It is equally true that I am not attacking "the bigotry of the Jews". Therefore (by your assinine logic) I hate Arabs?

[monkeyshine]

Only Arab rights are to be defended but Jews not? Why don't they have the same rights that Arabs do to the holy sites? Don't Muslims have an equal responsibility to restrain themselves from violence?

Don't you know better than to try to use REASON around here?